The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-08-27
LEADING EDITORIALS
From the washington Tost.


the day. a. 1t seems to us. is the recent ef
fort on the part Of certain Wall street or.
gans to prove that Mr.. Bryan Is a hypo.
critic and dishonest and immoral person
Perhaps we can best explain the situation
by quoting from the correspondence in the
case.
"Hon. W. J. Bryan. Lincoln, Neb.:
| Sir In The late presidential campaign
| you waTe reported to have said In one Cr
more OF your speeches: L advise you 10
wear the Mckinley badge, but work and
| vote for me- Permit me respectfully TO
inquire II you were correctly reported In
this matter. Very truly YOURS, ,.
Lincoln, Neb., November Fl, 1885,"
To this Mr.. Bryan Is said to have replied
as follows:
Il would say that having had reason to
believe that various corporations were
compelling their employees to wear re-
| publican badges and march In republican
parades, called their attention TO tue fact
that the Australian ballot waa a secret
ballot, and that they had a right to vote
for whom they pleased, regardless OF the
coercion attempted upon hem.
Il said that In these hard times, when
employment is so difficult TO find, did
not want to advise laboring men to do any
thliB WHICH WCuiQ lose lncm their en-
ployment, and added that they should wear
republican badges, II necessary. march in
republican parades II commanded to do so,
and even contribute to the republican CAM
paign fund II that was required by their
employers, but that they should vote ac-
cordlng to their convictions on election
day
Now. desire to Justify my position.
The right to vote according to ones con-
science is law given right. Coercion is
violation OF the law and when I advise
employees TO vote as they please, even
though they must wear republican badges
and march in republican parades, | am
taking higher moral ground and giving
more patriotic advice than those who
countenance coercion and appeal to en-
poyes to vote the republican ticket on
election day merely because they have been
compelled to wear republican badges dur
ing the campaign
We are not at all sure ttat Mr.. Bryan
was called upon to notice the communca-
ton. The facts Of the campaign OF 1886,
including Mr.. Bryan's utterances. are now
part OF our history. They speak for
themselves and ncel no explanation.
Mr.. Thayers opinion is of no consequence
whatever. The only question Is whether
the working men We're brioel or intiini-
daied-whether they we're given to under
stand that It would be well for them to
wear Mckinley badges, march in Mckinley
PROFESSIONS and contribute to Mckinley
funds. No amount of hypocritcal rant
by Mr. Thayer or by thu New York Sun
will affect the issue. These things were
done or they were not done. II they were,
then Mr. Bryan gave the workinymen Ter
fectly sound and logical advice He did
not ask them to sacrifice themselves and
lmpoverish their families by Quixotic dem
onstrntons He counseled them, simply.
TO vote according to their convictions no
matter what concealments they might be
compelled to practice in the meantime
They were In manner helpless, depend
ent for their daily bread upon the caprice
of employers. They had as much right TO
independent opinion as had the men who
for the moment controlled their material
destinies, but they had not the same free
dom u expression since 1t was in the DOW
er OF others 10 deprive them OF the means
OF existence. We leave IL to moralsts 10
say which was the more reprehensible--
Tor tie powerful to menace the detens elass
or Tor the defensolss TO take refuge in Sc
crecy
When the time comes we hope to dis
charge the duties and perform the func- !
tons of immortality with becoming zeal |
but now--dwelling in this poor world, |
amidst its trials and temptations. and |
wearing the perishable garment OF the |
flesh-we do not hesitate 10 say that we |
have more charity for the man who dis.
sembled under fear of persecution than
for the man who held that threat above |
his unprotected head. There Is no other
rational way OF considering this subject
The campaign is over-why not be hon
est2
From the Chicago Record
ELECTRICITY IN MODERN LIFE-An
idea of the extent to which electricity has
entered into the every day affairs Of Amer
lean cities may be gained from the expert
encc OF Paterson, ~ j.. last week, which
for two nights and two days had the mis-
fortune TO be deprived OF electric seryice
through an accident to the plant OF the
local electric company. When the COM
pany constructed it's new power station,
from which the city Of Paterson and the
surrounding country are supplied with
electric current for lighting, railway and
to"c' serNice, u paced at the top OF the
building an enormous bin having a capac-
ity of thousand tons OF coal. This bin
mad been filled. and It seems that the
strain was too great, for the supports gave
way, precipstHting the contents to the
engine room. The steam plant was en-
ureiy wrecked and the machinery almost
completely buried, The accident happened
NJ o'clock Saturday afternoon; as a re-
suit business was Immediately suspended
IN the town, and was not resumed until
,he damage 10 the machinery at the power
mousse had been repaired and the plant
again started up. All the stores were oios,1
at nishtfall, and this OF itself means much
~ cry hke Paterson. where tho entire
population goes uptown" on saurdav
night to look into the shop windows ana
settle accounts for the week The streets
were IN darkness and the trolley cars