New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-07
A TOO PREVIOUS CANDIDATE.

A IOO PhE lOt - t1'DID Ne
Mr.. Bryan Just at present wishes he hadn't
He Is very smart, of phenomenal eloquence'
knows all there is 10 know. is preparing 10 come
to New York turn himself loose and sweep the
country off It's feet. He is phenomenon ana
a prodigy. But there are several things IN his
bright and shining career that he wishes lie
hadn't done Even in the hurry OF preparation
for the greatest effort of his life, when he Is 10
surpass the Dog Show, the Horse Show and
Barnum combined in making Madison Square
Garden centre Of attraction. he hnds time TOT
vain regrets and schemes to teach the unforget
full 10 forget. But records are bad things, ana
memories are hard TO get away from, and words
which seemed wonderfully clever, policies which
seemed exceedingly popular, and tricks which
seemed surprisingly wise when the enthusiastic
fit was on, now have troublesome aspect when
viewed calmly and at leisure
Mr. Bryan has descended for time from the
tripod The prophetic mood is off him. The
necessity of facing a practical campaign may
not cure the bghead fever, but, like the doctor or
the story, it is death on fits. The Boy Orator
was as proud as could be over the sensational
speech with which he talked himself into
nomination He was just like any other boy
who had turned phrase and made all the old
William u.s." He stood still and smiled being
nantly while his cross Of gold and crown OF
thorns' motto was shouted with enthusiasm
He had made n watchword He had been In
spred He would sweep the country with his
batte-cry But the country Is not a convention
of excltable fanatics with touch of religious
mania who, after the manner of victims OF that
type of alienism, on familiar terms with
ivi and tho IN Of the Yltuurs. The
country Is composed Of sober, sensible people,
who respect sacred things and do not. like the
cartman Of fable. call on Jupiter at every turn
TO Dry their wheels out Of the mire. 1t Is these
people who are now putting Mr. Bryan to the
test and they are not in the least carried away
by sensational rhetoric Before their rigid scru-
tiny the young orator trembes, and wishes he
hadn't tossed the crucifixion so glibly about on
the sea Of his words. He has suddenly discov-
cred that he was not the real author Of the
blasphemy Somebody else said 1t somewhere
and some time No matter who or where. II
was a quotation. 1t goes into the official copy
of his speech in quotation marks. III he could
only get rid Of II entirely. but he can't
Then there is that platform which was adopt
ed with so great enthusiasm, and which with
youthful impetuosity he FASTENED to say met
his absolute approval. These same people or
honesty and common-sense have been looking
that over They have been giving some pretty
vigorous opinions about the proposal to annul
contracts and introduce n reign of conhscation.
Mr. Bryan has heard them, and he wishes he
hadn't been 80 ready to jump without looking.
He cannot go back. so his managers are doing
the best they can to strengthen the platform
with new timber and make II something differ
ent from the one which met his approval. When
Senator Hill proposed resolution to protect ex-
listing contracts he was laughed out Of the Con-
vention. His amendments were rejected with
scOrn by Mr.. Bryan and his friends. Now Mr..
Bryan wishes he hadn't. He has heard from
the people who speak after the voice OF the
cranks has subsidized The campaign managers
are trying to soothe their Indignation by doctor
Ing the records and saying that the Hill amend
ments belong in the platform. Unfortunately
for them, the people remember how bravely
they proclaimed their aversion to those amend
mens.
Another thing Mr. Bryan wishes he hadn't
done. That was to court Popullst nomination.
Now he sits with a gift in his hand which he
dares not accept and is afraid TO throw away.
| He thought 1t would be fine thing to get help
from ST. Louis. His managers went there and
worked harder for his nomination than they
| had to do at Chicago. They won, and now they
| wish they hadnt. The Popullst nomination with
| its complications threatens 10 bring the whole
| campaign to ruin Yet they cannot tell the Pop
ulists their help Is not wanted. They went 10
! ST. Louis and begged for the favor They asked
that the platform be made to conform to that
at Chicago, and urged the necessity of Populist
concessions The Populists made concessions
/ They gave Bryan the nomination that he want
ed and n platform to suit his ease. All they kept
was second place on the ticket That they
wanted so as to hold their party together. Mr.
Bryan was not entirely satisfied. But he said
he would consider what 10 do. Now he wishes
he hadn't. He played for the nomination. then
he made a bluff Of devotion 10 Sewall. which
he threw aside 10 how he could fix things
with Watson Now he finds he cannot fix them
easily and he wishes he had known when he
had enough nominations.