The herald., 1897-07-07
REMINDER OF THE LAST
CAMPAIGN

The presence of Mr.. Bryan in this city
called to memory the last presidential
campaign, and the obstacles which he
and the friends of silver had to contend
with.
Like Pitt the younger, Bryan was
charged with the crime of youth. Gen
eral Grant was the youngest man ever
elected to the presidency, and he was in
his 47th year. Two other men only were
elected before they were so years of age,
and they were Garfield and Cleveland.
Bryan was ten years younger than
Grant was at the time of his first cleo
ton. The charge of youthfulness has
some effect upon the voters themselves
to Bryan's disadvantage. Nominating
30 young a man and setting aside the
old stagers, those who regarded them
selves as patriarchs in the Democratic
party, caused lukewarmness and defec-
ton on the part of many old leaders.
They cried out like Cassius: age, thou
art shamed. Rome, thou hast lost the
breed of noble bloods'' and there were
Brutuses in numbers whose jealousiea
were so infiamed that they engaged in
the crime Of ASA ssinating Democracy
and the peoples cause.
The friends of Bryan were denounced
as anarchists, because among his sup
porters were some who on occasions had
used rather Incorporate language, but
who never threatened violence The in
temperate language was employed in
denunciation of policies and laws which
bestowed privileges upon class in dis
regard Of the rights and interests of the
mass.
The plank in the Democratic platform
which criticised the decision of the su-
preYne court in the income tax case, was
held up as threat to overturr,the court
and subvert the judicial power in the
government. One ignorant of what has
occurred in the past would have sup
posed that it was the first time that the
court had been criticised, or the correct
ness of its decisions had been oues-
toned.
A large majority of the voters of the
country was born since the decision of
the court in the Dred Scott case, or were
too young when it was made to have had
any knowledge of it. The denunciation
of that decision and of the majority of
the court approached the very boundary
of threatened revolution Chief Justice
MarSha1p1 n ha
treated with the severest criticism, and.
in fact, ir numerous instances the deci-
sions of that court have been involved in
political discussions. When principle
of general influence upon public affairs
has been declared it is both a right and
duty of the people to consider it, and if
in their opinion it is deleterious to their
interests the people should contriye
some legislation or constitutional
amendment that will remove the evil
from which they suffer. Nothing is SO
sacred as to be beyond the reach of pop-
ular opinion. Mr.. John Sherman in hi,
memoirs expresses the opinion that the
decision in the income tax case is er
roneous
To criticise judicial decision is one
thing, but the proposition to resist the
execution of a final judgment is quite
another The Democrat tic platform does
not propose such resistance. Infalubil-
ity Is not recognized in this country
There is no such doctrine that evAr
judges can do no wrong Courts often
reverse their own rulings on motions
for Eew trials or petitions for rehear
ings.
These points so industriously made
against Bryan and his party in the last
campaign will not be made in the next.
They will be straw that has been thor
oughly thrashed.
Another ard more serious force that
had to- be contended with was money.
Bryan's side could command very lit
tie, while the other side was able to