New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-11
TILE PETTIGREW CONSCIENCE.

ON Friday the railroad train which bears
william Jennings Bryan and his fortunes tore
into Sioux Falls = d.. town famous for
two thmgs-lirst. for the large number or It's
transient population. composed chiefly 81 per-
sons Of both sexes seeking relief from unhappy
marital relations through the swift processes
of the divorce courts OF Dakota, and second,
for being the residence of Richard Franklin
Pcttigrew United States Senator. Hero Mr..
BRYAN was altogether himself. and entirely the
same In his traln-end remarks. Beginning with
ladies and gentlemen" he expressed his APP
probation OF the attendance or the battle
Scared veterans Of this country: from which
we infer that his audience consisted largely or
the BATH SCARED Of both sexes In Sioux Falls
awaiting declaration Of peace from the d.
vorce courts. He then expressed his pleasure
at being in Sioux Falls because, as he said. 1T
gives me a chance TO say n word In defence
"of Senator Pettigrew among his people" The
suspicion has been very general that Pettigrcw
needed it. and we can only say that Mr. Bryan
did the handsome thing In saying II.
Pettgrcw, It may be remembered. was elect
cd TO the United States Senate as Republican.
and as a Republican was sent delegate In
the National Convention in response to his ur-
gent solicitation, accompanied by the pledge
that he would abide the Conventions action.
II NAV also be remembered that, instead Of full
filling his pledge. he abandoned his party and
soon after came ont for Bryan. Obviously.
Pcttigrcw needed "A defence among his own
people. Obviously. too. II was specially fitting
that the defence should be made by the chief
beneficiary of his action. So Mr.. Bryan after
observing that there are occasions which try
mems souls" and that Pcitigrcw had just
emerged from one Of Them proceeded TO say
that Petigrew, In his belief. did the manly
ching and the courageous thing when he de-
"termined TO protect the interest Of the people
"in this State instead Of bowling under the
yoke Of the gold standard. II was the people
Gin this State whom he represented, and he
| could not obtain consent Of his Judgment and
conscience 10 surrender the interest OF the
''peope of this State merely because the Re
publican party had gore back on It's record
land turned itself from the people as n whole
"tO Wall Street fnanciers"
Could anything he more satisfactory than
this? Mr.. Bryan, we believe, prides himself on
| never having voted the Republican ticket. lie
comes. consequently. as a disintcrcsted witness
to assure the Republicans of South Dakota that
Pettigrew had done the manly and courag cous
thing in abandoning his party, because the
party had gone back on its record"-that is
| the record it had made through all these years
| in which Mr. Bryan had been opposing it. And
he really had TO do It, because he "conld not
"obtnin consent Of his judgment and con
Science" to doing anything else. There Is
something really touching in this reference ia
| Pettigrcw's Judgment and conscience" espc
| cioIIv IN hic acipucc For tha pot ioro,v CON
science is one OF those things that without be
| ing made the subject Of official investigation
have often excited inquiry and curiosity In so
cial and political circles In Washington. lie
had not been long In Washington before the
discussion arose. Some gentlemen who make
a study of the mental and moral qualities OF
new statesmen took the ground that he org
naly had large and welldeveloped conscience
somewhat in the nature Of the vermlform ap
pendix. the use for which neither he nor any
| body else had ever discovered. and that hav
ing become clogged South Dakota veterinary
surgeon had by surgical operation removed
it entirely, as In cases Of appendicitis. 1t was
| said, too, that after Its removal II was pre-
served In bottle OF spirits, and that a Soutl
Dakota Indian having surreptitiously absorbed
the contents Of the bottle was so affected by
/ u tnat ne returheu stoien veIloW uOg 10 us
owner and on the strength Of his reform seri
ously proposed TO run for Congress
Others said he did have when at home good
every sort Of conscience adapted to Soutl
Dakota but that. being fearful Of the effect Of tn,
Washington climate upon it, he had left it a
home when he came to the Senate. Still other,
said that he kept most interesting and lively
conscience In his apartments at Washington will
slot in 1t. and that visitors were In the habi
Of dropping a nickel or some other coin In tn
SLOT Just to hear II work. Its existence was ais,