New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-18
INDIJIDT4L CAMPAIGN WORK.

1t is common saying that this is the greatest
National crisis since 1861 The ante-eection
struggle is TO be more than political campaign.
1t is TO be a war for National honor. for the
conservation Of tme-tried institutions. for pro-
lection Of the mass Of citizens against financial
revolution. which must be disastrous TO all ex-
cept few who have speculative interest in the
appreciation of silver and in driving gold to n
premium. On every side we hear of citizens.
regardless of party affiliations coming forward
and announcing their support Of Mckinley and
their willingness TO labor for his success. This
offer. from men who 90 not ordinarily trouble
themselves to engage in partisan warfare. is at
once II testimony to the seriousness of the issue
and the most encouraging sign of the contest
Steps should be taken TO make use of every
man who has this patriotic disposition. More
than organization. more than enthusiasm. educa-
ton is needed. There is no use shutting eyes
TO the fact that the POpust campaign is being
carried on with skill. so far as reaching the g
norant. appealing TO short-eghted self-ntcrest
and stirring up envy. malice and evil passions
is concerned These forces must be met at the
point of their effective operation 1t is not
enough to prove the fallacy of Populist argu
ment in a magazine of political economy or in
the newspapers. The men who are taken by
catchwords. deceived by fallacious reasoning
and fired by cupidity must also be reached The
best way to reach them is by personal work.
The campaign speaker is going to be more than
usually useful in this campaign. and the private
citizen who has the respect of his neighbors has
a great opportunity to do effective individual
work Old-fashioned spreadcagle oraory is at
a discount. In its place calm, sensible and,
al oil tatio If ,rip
laws of finance and political economy is re-
qured The people should he gathered from
time to time in every school district and voting
precinct and told what must be the inevitable
consequences of Bryans success taught to dis
Germ the fallacies in the silver arguments. and
brought to understand that no temporary per-
sOnal advantage which some think they see in
free coinage can compensate for the distress
which will come TO them with the reaction.
For this work the business man, the lawyer
and the intelligent farmer are more valuable
than the professional spellbinder The greatest
influence will be exercised by men over their
nelghbors who are accustomed to trust their
judgment on other matters. Many men of this
character have signifed their intention thus to
supplement the efforts Of the orators sent out
at the expense of the political organizations
personal work with their acGuaintances They
should be encouraged, and their number should
he increased. The campaign committees can
help them by furnishing simple documents with
arguments which can be brought home to the
voter Special pains should be taken to furnish
this assistance and prepare the way for politi-
cal meetings as individual enterprises in every
corner of the country 1t is not enough for every
man who believes in sound money to vote for
It, He must fight for ii every day until election.
The demagogues are hard at work making the
kind Of campaign which is most difficult TO
counterfeit, for its very absurdlty and shallow
ness make those affected by it at all most stub
born and blind in their devotion. But if all
Soundmoney men are fired with zeal equal to
that Of their opponents, and each one labors to
bring 10 his side one deluded voter. the coun-
try's honor will he preserved. The chief work
Of al the sOundm0ncy organizations should be
10 get intelligent voters to take their cause in
their own hands. And they should do it at once