The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-21
THE LEADER is CHOSEN.

national reputation came to the conven-
ton backed by their different delegations
and organized bands of faithful followers:
the headquarters of the various candi-
dates were placarded at all the various
prominent hotels of the city; bands of
music and uniformed organizations
sounded the praises and magnifed the
merits of the various candidates.
The delegation from Nebraska, of which
William j. Bryan was a member, was eX.
cluded from participation in the prelimi-
nary proceedings of the convention by an
adyersedecision of the national committee.
and goldite delegation from Nebraska
was allowed to occupy seats in the con
vention until the permanent organiZa.
tion was affected
The committee on resolutions framed a
platform which embodies the sentiments
of the liberty-loving people of America.
which declares for the mintage laws of
the better days of the Republic and pro.
claims the financial independence of the
United States in opposition to the Eng
lish financial policy, which has brought
distress to the home of every producer
in the land.
Such Il platform was most distasteful
to the representatives of the banks of the
mother country, situated in New York
and London, and their agents assailed it
in that arrogant, self-righteous and in.
solent style which characterized the phari-
sees of old and. the money changers who
were scourged from the temple by the
Saviour of mankind. Villas, of Wiscon-
sin, labored long and vociferously to sub
merge, obscure and suppress the clean
cut, definite, sharp plain and patriotic
sentiments of the platform by volume
of pure sound. Hill, the veteran poll.
tician, whose principles change like the
hues of a chameleon, and whose purpose
in any cause is personal success, labored
long and hard against the declarations
OF principles i'll the platform; he used all
the arts of the lawyer and the politician,
and employed, with some effect, the cum
ming language of the gold gambler and
of the stock jobber; he was intensely vim
dictive because the platform announced
the doctrine of free coinage (Which he had
advocated in his Elmira speech, and for
which he had voted in the Senate of the
United States in 1899, and because he
knew full well that many members of
the convention must recollect that four
years ago he was a candidate for the NOM
nation of President against Mr.. Cleve-
land on free coinage platform; he must
have felt that all the world knew what
he once supported and what he now adj
vocated. In his desperation to serve his
new masters and to obliterate everything
good in his record on the financial ques-
ton, he labored with zeal and ability
worthy of better cause
In this emergency the free silver Dem
ocracy called upon William j. Bryan to
reply to the agents of New York, Wall
and Lombard streets, and indicate the
cause of an American policy. Never at
any time or in any age was so much de-
pending upon a perfect exposition of a
hn
ed by patriotic sentiment in favor of the
restoration of the money of the consuitu-
ton, and the government of the fathers in
the better days of the Republic. Every
friend of free coinage was more than
anxious that his thoughts and that his
feelings should be expressed, and the
wickedness of the monstrous doctrines of
the opposition should be exposed The
first sentence uttered by the great orator
satisfied the most sanguine desires of
every lover of human kind. He stated in
every sentence what every patriotic man
III that vast assembly felt; he gave voice
to the inspiration which enthused every
heart. He furnished argument which
satisfied every friend of silver that the
reasons for the faith that was in him
were translated into eloquent and inspir-
ing language; the audience was SPELL
bound; the contrast between him and
the enemies of the cause he indicated
was as that between day and night: he
separated the right from the wrong; he
Olazed the way so plainly that none who
desired truth could fail to perceive it, and
none VINO desired to serve an alien gold
trust could conceal the chagrin at the
fact that their wicked schemes were ex-
posed
AT the conclusion of one of the most
remarkable speeches ever made in anv
country, fifteen thousand people with
one accord saluted him as the standard
bearer of the great cause which he rep
resented; he was nominated in the hearts
OF that great assembly before he left the
stage; IL was only Il question of time
when the delegates would be free to act
according TO their desires and according
to their best judgment. We challenge
parallel to the great achievement of
our nominee for President. A poor man,
a man of the people, unable to nav the
expenses of establishing Il Headquarters
IN Chicago, unable, to compete with
Others In the ordinary preparations for
PRESIDENTIAL campaign; in fact scorning
TO use any OF the appliances ordinarily
adopted to secure presidential nomina-
ton Modest and retiring. but elo-
quent, powerful and patriotic he sought
to do his duty and in doing that he be-
came the choice of the great convention.
He did not take the stand for himself,
he did not speak for himself. but as he
spoke for the cause and made that
triumphant, he became part of the
great cause of which he was naturally
the champion; those who loved the
cause loved him andwould not allow him
to be separted for moment from the
grand purpose for which they were as