The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-17

supreme effort While It betokens a de-
| termination toward renewed effort 1t does
not entirely conceal beclouded sense OF
| despair Side by side with show OF forced
! hopefulness it shadows forth smack OF
| bitter disappointment. Whoever answers
this question wisely Will render his fellows
\ valuable service; but he will do Well
beforehand to expect In large measure
neither appreciatiye heed nor grateful rec
| ognition-
The wisdom which is to serve as guide
! In the time to come is but an accumula-
ton OF the lessons of experience learned
: in the time gone by. Our question looks
| to the future, Its answer must come from
the past. Before looking forward let us
take a look backward.
We have just emerged from the throes
of National election. Not within the
ms nory or personal experience OF most OF
us here has the nation been stirred 80 pro-
founGly. Society from top to bottom was
thoroughly aroused. The habitually
thoughtless be came alert and attentive,
the slothfui were quickened and stun
lated, even the foolish and stupid grew Gu
ri0us and interested. On tho one hand,
greed selfishness fraud, tyranny, false
hood. arrayed in solid phalanx. fought with
the fury OF devils and with all the devil $
weapons On tho other Justice, liberty,
patriotism mot the boomers prostitute
but the freeman's Idol strove and strus
eicd with the life OF the undying and the
tenacity of the indestructible. AS hap
poncd many times before. victory again
perched on the shield OF the moneyed le-
gions.
What vital or saving principle was 1t
that so completely cleft this nation In
twain? What so Thoroughly aroused it's
people that no citizen with intelligence
above an OK remained Indifferent to the
tumult or took no side In the struggle?
Free silver at 10 to l.
How paltry and contemplate seems such
an answer TO such a question: Can any
man In his senses believe that people who
for upwards OF thirty years have been stu
piaiy and perslstently voting away their
rights and their liberties, End blindly keep
ing up one long. steady, voluntary tramp
from freedom to slavery. from independence
10 beggery, could by any possible cony,i-
sion Of intellect or any sudden accession
OF moral courage be aroused to enthusiasm
over principle so paltry or cause so in
significant. Can any one believe that a
nation which helplessly recognizes a can
cor gnnwing at Its vitals without having
the courage to cut 1t out could be reused
from It's lethal torpor BY an eczema that
merely erodca the skin? II does not seem
so to me. There was something more than
l6 to l in tho question. some infinitely
greater cause at stake. There was the
cause OF freedom battling with slavery, of
reality contending with hypocrisy and
sham, OF Industry struggling for very life
with the demons OF monopoly, OF justice
crying for vengeance on the head Of the
law made robbery. And yet freedom. JUS
tice liberty. industry. went down and were
trampled under foot. and 10, all NAM
mons cohorts rejoiced with great con-
Stunning Joy,
How did II all happen7 What evil genius
broods over human affairs In this unhappy
land that whatever is useful. true and of
good report must ever trail In the dust,
while whatever In false, unjust or cruel
may stalk through the land IN unbridlel
insolence aye, In sovereign contempt OF
those who are at once Its instruments
and its victims?
In the recent struggle each cause had its
standard bearer and each standard bearer
was In every way worthy OF his cause.
What leader more appropriate for the forces
OF monopoly than an apostatc from bimetll
lism bearing the single gold standard?
What leader more meet for the leeious OF
rottery than the man whose name is iden-
titled with the most astounding scheme Of
public plumber that ever yictimized an
over confiding people? Where the McKin-
Icy bill got its name was the most prom
Using field in all the world for monopoly
TO seek leader and there, sure enough,
IL found him.
" hfifs 'h tii' Viuft ndHis hiu the tpfNto
Of industry seek their standard bearer?
Simply nowhere. He came out OF the UNI
knows unlooked-for and unexpected. He
came In the prime OF his life and the bloom
OF his manhood. as though fresh and fully
formed from the hands OF the Almighty.
lilo came. a superb embodiment of all that
makes man tho apex of creation He came.
and with tho spiendor OF his genius. with
the hrilliance OF his Intellect. with the cX
celloncc OF his character. but most OF all
with the fire OF his heart and the glow OF
his enthusiasm set the continent ablaze. He
spoke and the sound o! his voice electrified
assembled thousands. and. rcverberatins
from the center TO the four seas. 1t died hot
till I: thrilled the souls OF seventy million
people, With one acclaim all hailed him
leader and tho banner OF FREQ silver was
placed in his hands
Forthwith line OF cleavage became Wis
ihle among the masses OF the people. Men
whose wits enabled them to take In the
situation at glance hurried to the hills
on either side and Joined the camp OF their
chosen leader. In the valley that parted