The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-28

THIS IS FANATICISM.

| IL Wh1cn is renecIed Dy a. single SEN
tence in his speech to the students of
Illinois college. 1t seems to us that
| the whole measure of the man and the
explanation of his position and prob
ents is to be found in the following
I statement:
| My friends. If I should read in the papers
| that there was not a college professor, not a
business man, a man prominent in So
ciety who believed in what I am teaching,
while believe In it. 1 would still teach it.
| This marks the difference between the
| man of principle and the mere fanatic.
1t is an attitude Of mind familiar
enough in the records Of theological
controversies, and one that still sur
wives in many individuals where mat
tiers of faith are in question. 1t is as
economic science, in matters of gov
eminent, as the idea that kings should
rule ''by the grace of Cod" We could
| understand Mr.. Bryan, make allow
ance for him and let the matter pass
| If he were to take this position with
| reference to the doctrine of future pun
| ishment, or Of infant damnation, or
| upon the question whether baptisms
| should be by sprinkling or by INNER
! sion. These are matters Of abstract
nomena are not visible, and depend,
not upon events, but upon belief A man
| believes in such matters because he
| believes, and for no other reason. En-
perience does not enter into this do
main, and history has neither instruc-
| ton nor warning to offer. Besides that,
inasmuch as it cannot possibly matter
| to other people whether a certain indi-
| vidual believes that it is essential to
salvation to be baptized one way
rather than another, his endeavors to
| convince others cannot be productive
| Of harm.
| But when we come to apply this posi-
ton to the practical matters of every
day life, it is either absurd or fanati-
cal. 1t is as if one should say, as peo-
pie once did say, I am convinced that
the sun revolves around the earth. It
| is enough for me that 1 believe it. If
every college professor and every edu-
Gated man in the world should think
to the contrary, I would still believe it.
Evidence cannot affect or logic shake
me. am going to hold to the doctrine
of solar movement until I die and 7
am proud of it. The declaration Of
Mr.. Bryan could be paraphrased and
applied to every other item of recent
scientific advance. 1t Is perfectly fair
to do so; for this money question is
not a matter Of faith or of revelation.
1t does not deal with the invisible
world. 1t Is not to be decided by spir-
itual manifestations. 1t is purely A.
question of fact. We have all history
behind us to CLEAN from. We have the
experiences Of states and nations NV
the score that have tried the same ex-
pertinent. We know how it would work
just as we'll as the farmer knows how
| different fertilizers affect his crops: Just
as well as the merchant knows the
rules Of his trade; just as well as the
engineer knows the tensile strength Of
| materials that he has subjected to
physical tests.
Ii IN any Of these operations a man
chooses to go by his inner conscious
| ness and butt his head hard against
the wall Of fact, there is no helm for
| him. We call such disregard Of ex-
perience gained at great cost fanati-
clsm. There is no other word for If
In Mr.. Bryan's case. There Is no other
explanation so apt Of why a man so
Tar from destitute Of ability should
holo the nat money theory. He is able
10 DO SO because he has withdrawn
himself altogether from the world of
fact. College professors certainly know
something about financial history and
economic laws. The evidence of h,,si
ness men is certainly worth something
IN the same field. If all the electricians
In the world were to agree upon oar
tain proposition in the practical appli-
cation of electricity, the man who
stood out against them without o+bor
eViuehce 10 offer than his personal "be-
her to the contrary would receive q
harsh appellation.
Inis Is just what Mr.. Bryan does.
The financial question, being nrectt-
cal question, one of fact and not Of
faith, he says that, though all the stu.
dents of fact in the world. all those
best equipped in practical experience
and abstract knowledge, should agree
TO the contrary, it would not shake him
in the conclusion that he has reached
This Is not intelligence. 1t is the abdi-
cation of intelligence in favor Of. q
blind and unreasoning dogmatism RI
seems to US to be the attitude of a
great many free silverites when pressed
to the wall.
BUYING LESS AND SELLING MORE.
1t is charitable to suppose that when
Mr.. Mckinley told one Of the visiting
delegations that the cause of the de-
preston in industry was because "for-
eign nations are doing more of orr
work for us and we are doing less oY
II Tor ourselves" the demands of the
campaigns, ante and post-convention.
upon his time had prevented him from
becoming, what ex-President Harrison
once said the Democrats were not, a
student of markets. After all due al
lowance is made for the decrease in
consumption caused by the depression
born of Republican folly in finance and
on fI,.I