The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-10-29
BRYAN's PERFORMANCE,
ITS Candidacy a Failure, and tho popoc-
I'D. rary Has Learned u Lesson,

rnry Has Learned "a Lesson.
New York sun. tDem): Bryan Is on
IBIS last, speeches and his Inst legs. A
few days more OF hopeless shooting
through the encmy's country, n final
desperate attempt to stir up the thugs
OF Chicago, and he Is done. Reports
from lllIrols represent him rs weary as
his audiences are. Physically weary, OF
course: there has been nothing IN his
centuries OF haranEucS to call for any
expenditure OF brain tissue. He began
with extracts from the writings OF 9TH
crS; for more than a month he has con-
tented himself, II not his hearers, With
extracts from his own. There has been
something almost depressing In his
stale Federation OF lbs trivial beliefs
ns convincing arguments. There has
been something revolving IN his con-
Stnnt, careless appeals to the meanest
elements In human nature, to the hn-
tired, the envy, and the cupillty OF the
shlttlesS, th, ignorant and the base.
lie has rushed up aud down preaching
dishonesty OF the rankest sort, and In
citing TO social disorder and revolution.
No other candidate for the presidency
has revealed himself, unpatrlotlc, and
traitOrous In his words and Ids pur-
poses. No other candidate for the pres
idency has shown himself so light In
intcllectually,so unturnlshed OF knuwl-
edge,so tricky, shallowa and theatrical. rs
II the men who made the Chicago plat
form Ind not done enough by building
that ed!tlce OF theft and treason, they
picked out M their candidate n strut
ting young transformer OF politics.
hu1 In
tutions enough. SO they caught fool
10 lead q fraud.
1t Is hnrd FOR q patriotic American 10
get rid OF n sense OF personal humlla-
ton and degradation as he looks ut
this Bryanind now drawing to its pitt
ful end. 1t dishOnors the United States
to have this inouthlng youth a candI-
date for President Tbs brewers OF an
archy might at least have chosen q
man TO do their work for them In
moment of infatuation, genuine or
manufactured, they took this boy who
has been parldlnE through the cOun-
try ever since the Chicago convention,
with the exception OF about one week.
Well. they have made him happy, 81
not Themselves. He has had his I'LL OF
notoriety. He has satisfied, In some lit
tie deSree,h!s thirst for exhibiting HIM
self In public and for making speeches.
He has all the emotions OF his thin,
the mclodramatic nature qulckencd by
the applause of crowds; and one solI-
tary man who will listen to him Is n
crowd for Bryan. He has breAthed an
atmosphere OF continual triumph. for
nothing before the s1bcrlnG and lisll-s
!ushnlnS election night can rob him OF
his belief that he Is q child OF destiny.
called TO lead the "toilInE masses" 10
victory In n war against the money
changers" On the day after election
he viii be firmly convinced that he
has been beaten by. Coercion and
intimidation" he could be Just as
llrmly convinced OF that fancy II every
STATE Should vote against him. There
IS absolutely no reason to suppose that
ne is not just as confident as he was
when he sounded his terrible approach
TO this town and nearly emptIpd the
Madison Square Garden with his Mt
tempt at sober reasoning In short. h.
Is hopeless young megalomaniac, and
Is beyond the reach of facts. For that
matter. facts are valueless and even
loathsonc TO any silver spouter.
ii bryan represented even tolerably
decent cause, and represented II with
any display OF intellectual force, skill
az al SuIucHt, ana imagination and
grace Of oratory, 1t would be difficult
not TO feel some pity for him. lie has
work ed SO hard. He Is beaten so hope
lcss!y. And he is, soon to be disap-
pointed so severely. Poor Bryan! Poor
young fellow! would be the natural
expression II he were other than he Is
and stood for other and honorable
principles. But here Is no case for
mercy. The rash young man who ex-
poets to boost himself into the presi-
dcncy by attacking thrift and honesty
ana order, deserves. all the punishment
he VIII Set,and he Is likely TO get n good
deal He and his accomplices In the
Chieaso ab0mInatlon will so down not
merely In defeat, but In enduring dis
grace. Upon them will fall the dis
honor which they are seeking to bring
upon the American people.