The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-27
Mr. nryan.. Future.

the 81 900 he is to receive for each lecture,
but yielded good profit to the syndicate
which controls his lectures.
The lecture. however. has caused dis
cussion OF the question as to whether the
adoption of the lecture platform, as a
means of earning a living. will injure
his chances for getting the presidential
nomination Of his party in 1900. Some of
the papers which supported him in the re-
cent campaign take the ground that it will
not lessen his chances in the least. and
that there is no good reason for thinking
1t will. because it is just as honorable to
earn a living by lecturng 1t is by prac-
ticing law or medicine or engaging in any
business.
There is no doubt that 1t is just as dig
nlfed and honorable to earn an income by
lecturing as 1t is to earn il in any other
way, and it Is creditable to Mr.. Bryan
that instead of being respondent over his
defeat he has gone to work manfully to
earn a living for his wife and children.
But the question Is not whether occurring
is an honorable and dignified occupation,
but whether it will lessen Mr.. Bryan's
chances for securing a presidential nomi-
nation in 1900. We are inclined to think
that when Mr.. Bryan went on the lecture
platform he practically abandoned what
ever chances he had for being presiden-
tial candidate in the next presidential
campaign. Some of the reasons for this
opinion are the following:
It is not certain that Mr.. Bryan will be
a popular lecturer He is popular man
at the present time. and people have a
desire to see him and hear him speak But
the further we get away from the recent
national campaign the weaker this desire
will be. Consequently, the number will
ling to pay to hear him lecture will grow
steadily smaller. Judging from his At
lanta lecture, Mr. Bryan will not be a
great success as lecturer. That lecture.
although a meritorious production. was
not of a kind to attract or greatly inter-
est an audience. If Mr.. Bryan had deliv-
cred it before he became famous it would,
In all probability, have been regarded as a
failure, considered solely as a lecture. 1t
to deliver will be of the same general
character His contract calls for fifty, at
81, 900 each, to be delivered within the next
two years.
When the public loses interest in Mr..
Bryan, and discovers. from newspaper re-
ports. of his lectures that what he says
is not particularly entertaining nor highly
instructive, his audiences will become
smaller. That fact will be noted by the
politicians, who will conclude that his
popularity is on the wane. and that he
has ceased to be an available presidential
candidate.
Again, however dignified and honorable
lecturing Is there is danger that the pub
lie will cease to look upon Mr.. Bryan as
a party leader and statesman when they
see him advertised with flaming headlines
In the newspapers and big pictures on the
bill boards. The syndicate that pays him
$1,000 for each lecture WILL of course, use
all legitimate means to make money out
of their contract with him. People will
be apt to say that he is trading on his
political popularity and not depending
upon his merits as a lecturer. That view
of his lecture business would hurt him in
the popular estimation.
| very large proportion of those who
voted for him did so because of the belief
that he was poor and honest and in thor
ough sympathy with them. The fact that
he Is making $1,000 a night out of the
popularity they helped to create. while
they have not been able to improve their
material condition, will not make them
feel more kindly towards him They
doubtless think he ought to make speeches
without any compensation. They will re-
sent the suggestion that they should pay
fee to hear him speak and will try to
destroy his popularity.
There are other reasons for thinking that
in going on the lecture platform he has
weakened his position as the leader of a
great political party. Still, none of the
reasons may be good ones. Whether they
are or not time alone will determine.