The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-12
MIR. BRYAN,s ARGUMENTS.

The addresses made by Mr.. Bryan in
his public appearances up to date, and
particularly the somewhat extended
speeches at Pittsburg, seem to deserve
attention and inquiry. We will en-
deavor to give 1t in a fair and i'm
partial spirit. The first point which
has to be noticed is his constant as
sumption that the settlement of the
financial question involves the issue Of
national independence. He Is never
tired Of saying that the American peo-
pie are competent to legislate for
themselves. This is an jncontrovertible
proposition; only it does not happen to
cover the question in point at all. No
body has thought of denying the abil-
ity Of Americans to legislate for Amer
1ca The question is what will be the
effect Of such legislation. Mr. Bryan
says: "An enormous majority Of the
American people will declare in favor
of the American system of finance for
the American people, administered by
Americans" Now, to talk of ian
cisely like talking of an American sys-
tenn of astronomy or of geology or of
electricity
Money is only tool. The forms and
uses and possibilities of money have
been developed into q science. There
is not one science for America and an
other for Europe. The appeal to 'the
American spirit" the assertion that
this is a renewal of the struggle of
1776, and all statements of that sort.
are less than honest, because they de-
1iberately confuse the details of pol
itics with the details of science. Each
nation may and can have a political
system of its own. Each nation cannot
have different kind of steam, differ
ent law of action for fluids under pres
sure, a different science of heat or
light, different set of chemical for
mulas from any other. To pretend that
it can is to insult intelligence. To pre-
tend that it can in this instance is 10
make bid for votes under false pre-
lenses.
We come next to another appeal to
the multitude which we find co,1ched
In the statement that only CAPITALISTS
and financiers are competent to express
an opinion upon this subject and thew
are not slow to condemn the
intelligence and patriotism of all
the rest of the people, whom they
would exclude from participation in the
settlement of this question" Pursu-
Ing this line, Mr.. Bryan said at Pitts
burg that each man 'is the best Judge
Of the effect of any proposition unon
himself If this position is applicable
to the settlement of the financial cues
ton, Mr.. Bryan is all right. If it is
not, If these f1attering praises were
sung only to appeal to the vanity of
the nearer, and thus persuade him to
vote for Mr.. Bryan and Mr.. Bryan's
cause against his own interests and
the interests of his country, then thew
merit severe condemnation. Let us see
about it.
Among the consequences of the d.
vision of labor and the evolution of
AulhdH llteIISence, the specialize ton
of effort and investigation stands fore
most. To put it simply when Mr.
Bryan wishes a suit of clothes made
for him, does he go to his tailor or TO
his shoemaker? On the proposition
which he advances it is Indifferent.
Each man is the equal of all other men
in all particulars and in all knowledge.
To refuse to permit the bootmaker to
fashion him a coat would be to insult
that worthy man by declaring him the
inferior of a tailor If Mr.. BRYAN
wishes to have dynamo built for a
workshop, would he call in a painter
and kalsominer to wind it for him?
Suppose that the average man, having
a pain in his stomach, were turned
loose in a drug store and asked to for
age along its shelves to find out what
he needed. If he objected that he was
unfamiliar with these different chem
icals, and knew still less of their effects
when compounded with each other, fire