The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-13

We think that the supporters Of Mr..
Bryan will read with some disap-
pointment the excessively long and
discursive deliveranee in which he ac
cepted last night the nomination of
the Chicago convention. 1t is not
tricked out with arts of oratery, and
therefore gives the impression of be-
ing labored. It is throughout on the
defensive; which is natural enough
considering the environment in which
Mr. Bryan spoke, and his consciousness
of it, but is none the less unfavorab1e
in this exposition and defense of the
Chicago platform, although expressed
with all of Mr.. Bryan's usual earnest
ness and more than his usual modera-
ton, gospel that will commend itself
to the thoughtful people of this coun-
try.
We have not space to review in de-
tail this exhaustive presentation of
the issues raised by the Chicago plat
form, but some of it will bear a word
aside from the fact in assuming that
anybody ever spoke of that platform
as "anarchistic" because of the income
tax plank. That epithet arose from.
another portion, concerning which Mr..
Bryan keeps silence, but which was I'M
derstood to deprecate the suppression
'of disorder and violence by the arm of
the state. And as to the income tax
plank, nobody bothers himself much
about the mode of taxation itself or the
possible reversal by court of it's own
decisions. 1t is the expression "as it
may hereafter be constituted" imply
ing a plain purpose to pack a court
for a given end, whether that be main
else, that is justly declared revolu-
tionary; especially when joined with
proposition to change the tenure of
the federal judiciary
We pass by all the eulogies of pop
ular government and the masses of the
people in which Mr.. Bryan only fol-
lows the example of politicians, some
good and some bad. Let us assume
that we all trust the people. all be-
heve in the people. Then let us get
down to business and see what it is we
ask the people to do, and why. Com
ing to the main issue, the currency.
we cannot see that Mr. Bryan is any
more fortunate in his logical furnish
ings than the lesser lights who shine
beside him. He cuts the same cor
ners, makes the same omissions. hides
the same inconsistencies. All his in
troductory arguments on currency are
devoted to a panegyric on bimetallism:
yet 1t is silver monometallism which
he proposes to give to this country.
He assumes an improved appreciation
In the purchasing power of the gold
dollar, but falls to confess how labor
has prof1ted most thereby. He saws
I'VE are not asking that a new ex-
pertinent be tried although he is
certainly aware that no such gigantic
experiment as free coinage of silver
at ratio of but 16 to /, when the COM
mereial ratio was nearly 50 to /. was
ever tried in the history of the world.
He says 1--WE also apply the law of
supply and demand to silver when we
say that new demand for silver.
created by law, will raise the price of
silver bullion Yet he knows that
the same statement, made by the adj
vocates of the law of 1873, and again
In 1880, was disproved utterly by our
own experience
The difficulties against which Mr.
Bryan had to contend were SO great
that no one can be surprised that he
did not surmeunt them. Had he done
SO, indeed. he would have proved him
self more than mortal He has set
himself to prove that all that ex-
perience has taught mankind concern
ing value for many centuries is wrong.
He has to destroy all the old economy.
fortified by history as well as theory
and introduce a brand new one. He
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