The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1896-10-24
BRYAN,S AGE.
Youth Does Not. Prevent His Being a

\
| Statesman.
THE DALLEs, Oregon, Oct. Is, 1896.
ED. TINES s-MoUNTAINEER.
No man in the broad state of Oregon
has a higher regard for the personal
worth and the intellectual stature of
Hon. George Fl. Williams, than myself.
For this reason, I regret exceedingly
that he has permitted himself to make
an attack on Mr.. Bryan on account OF
the latter's alleged youthfulness. 1t is
true the democratic nominee, Tor popo-
cratic, if Mr.. Williams prefers that
term for the presidency is a young
man, SO years of age we believe, or
about one-half the age of the venerable
| gentleman who twits him on account of
his adolescence. The charge of youth
fulness made against Mr.. Bryan, is not
| a damaging one. The detect is not
constitutional. With the blessing of
| God, he will get over it. I am sorry
| on the venerable Geo. HIS account,
and douhly sorry on my own that the
complaint is not contagious. What
| has MIR. Bryan's age to do with the
financial question anyhow? The idea
that wisdom comes only with age is the
| veriest moonshine, and, indeed the op-
| posite seems to be the fact in Mr..
Williams case, for surely twenty five
years ago be would not have attempted
to belittle a candidate for any Office
| because he was 36 years young. The
| trainers of our national coustitu-
/ was not only possible, but probable at
| 35, since that was the minimum age at
| which man became eligible for the
presidency. And besides this, these
same wise citizens believed that man
might have wisdom enough for con-
| gl essman at 21. Buchanan was 65
when elected to the presidency, the
Oldest man, if my memory serves me,
ever elected to the office, and he was
too old. Grant was in command of the
army at 40 and president at AZ, which
| is about the average age of the presi-
Il
dents when elected. History shows
| that the great men of the earth had
| achieved greatness before they were
40. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet" at
36, and at that age Lord Byron had
enriched the English language and
laid down the burdens of life. At 30
Lord Give, had conquered Ipdia for
| the British, and at 80 Alexander the
Great had conquered all the known
world and emigrated to the unknown.
At 81 Napoleon took command of the
army of Italy and at 36 was the master
of Europe. At 80 Jefferson wrote the
Declaration of Independence. and at
81 Webster was holding his own with
such intellectual giants as Clay and
Calhoun. At 81 McCauley's best
essays had been written. At17 Alex
ander Hamilton leaped into promi-
nence and at q was the leading states
man of the New World. Chaucer
completed his library labors and died !
at Is. Bryant wrote "Thanatopsis'' at
the same age. Pitt was chancellor of /
The exchequer at %, and at that age |
Fox resigned the Office of Lord of the
Admiralty. Sacred history shows the
same state of facts, David, ere his beard
started, slew Goliah; Joseph was sold |
into slavery for 20 pieces of silver, by /
his brethren when he was II, yet at 80 !
was practically the ruler of Egypt. /
Solomon became king at 10, aud he had /
some wisdom even at the beginning J.
of his reign, and to conclude the list, !
let it be called to mind that the Divine /
Tragedy was completed on Calvary !
when the Savior of the world was :
crucified at 80. .;'-'
Age is not necessarily synonymous 1
with wisdom, nor is it prerequisite
to the presidential candidacy. If it
was Levi P. Morton, Susan b. An
thony, or my friend Mr.. Williams
would .outrank Mr.. Mckinley. Meth !
uselah was 969 years of age at the time
of his untimely decease, yet outside of
establishing record for longevity he
accomplished nothing. Jared was
only years younger but the pages of
sacred history tell us nothing of Jared
except that he "begatn and died. No
matter in what walk of life, the great
bulk of the worlds best work has been
hue by men who had not reach ID its
kway house. Mr.. Bryan's adoles
las nothing more to do with the
kSestion than Mr.. Williams 8
76it had, by what right
-3S the privilege of
Oung to discuss or
nancial question, by
pse younger than he
passing Judgment,
pom the question.
from Mr.. Will
Fdisfranchise all
conclude, if SO
nit the acouisi-
be would our
Indicating
J. II. C. /.
Eepared for
nrities and
more. |
pnstitutions
hsnds itself