The herald., 1897-04-29

ing that he has been derelict In party
fealty, declaring that he is again 'luet-
ing for office" and affirming that his
policy in 1898 was like Mr.. McKinley's S
in 1897 in having ignored the vital issue
on which he was elected.
Mr.. Bryan reviews Mr.. Cleveland's at
titude in a much more temperate fashion.
He proceeds to careful and dispassion-
ate dissection of the Reform club speech,
revealing the real relationship of the ex-
president and the Republican party and
the instability of Mr.. Cleveland's stand
against the present administration.
"The Republicans, says Mr.. Bryan,
"have never shown any disposition to
abandon extreme protection" and there
fore Mr.. Cleveland's accusing them of
returning in hot haste to their wallow-
ing in its mire is an unfair criticism
The gold Democrats have no more rea-
son to complain on this score than on
Mr.. McKinley's attitude on the money
question.
ITO be sure" continues Mr.. Bryan. "the
president has sent an argosy abroad in
search-not of a golden fieece-but OF an
object equally elusive, namely, an interna-
tional agreement for the restoration Of BIZ
metallism, but in so doing he is only car
rying out the pledge contained in his plat
form Unless the gold Democrats were
in possession of assurances not given TO
the public generally, or expected the pres
ident to abandon his platform, they ought
80 he tel ia1 with his financial nOliCX- He
promised TO maintain the gold standard un-
til relief come from abroad. and he is do
ing it in spite of the continued distress
caused by such a policy
The champion of free silver finds en-
in Mr.. Cleveland's declara-
ton of war against those who supported
the Chicago ticket:
His surrender OF the executive branch
of the government into the hands of Wall
street financiers during his last admins
tration did more than any other one thing
TO arouse the American people to acknowl-
edge the iniquty of the gold standard. His
thinly disguised support of the Republican
ticket in the late campaign did much to
drive silver Republicans out of the Repub-
lcan party. and their loyalty to bimetal-
lism has not been shaken by defeat. In
his address Saturday night he aided the
silver cause still further by removing what
ever danger there might have been OF
concessions from the regular Democrats
TO bolt us. If he had discussed the funda-
mental principals OF Democracy and then
urged a union of forces upon platform
compromising the differences on the money
question he might have done us harm in
some sections, but his dogmatic insist
Gra fal no1ipv in his
emphatic endorsement of the organization
of gold Democrats. will have a wholesome
influence in convincing timid Democrats
of the folly of any attempt to reunite Dem
ocrats who believe in bimetallism with
Democrats who are welded to gold mono
metallism.
Finally, Mr.. Bryan, after paying
compliment to Mr. Cleveland's ''cour-
age" which Mr.. Watterson designates
by other and harsher terms, concludes:
1.-The gold Democracy is impotent in
bringing any relief to the country. 1t is
long on platitudes and short on perform
ance. 1t reached its maximum at ban
quet and it's minimum at the polls. 1t is
the toy of those financiers who pirate about
national honor while they fatten on the
nations extremity and is powerless to pro-
tect the people from the extortion of trusts
and the greed of unrestrained corpora
tions. Those Democrats who believe in
equality before the law will naturally grav-
itate toward the regular Democracy, and
those Democrats who believe in a govern
ment by syndicates and for syndicates will
naturally drift into the Republican party,
because it offers them the best prospect of
success"