The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-26
They Crawl Into the Bryanite Camp.

Mr.. EDWARD NJ. SHEPARD, professedly
a Democratic reformer of Brooklyn, an
nounced on Tuesday evening hat he was
ready to support the Bryan Democrat for
Mayor of the Greater New York. at will
weigh it not a pennyworth against him."
declared this professional reformer, that he
is "what we call a silver man."
Mr.. JOSEPH LARoCoUE, a professional re-
former of New York, who is now lending
his energies to the aid CT the socialistic
Citizens Union faction, expressed the
same sentiments not long ago in language
closely resembling that of his Brooklyn
brother. He is ready to support a Bryan
Democrat for Mayor with the warmest
enthusiasm Of his aspiring soul. Mr.. La
ROGUE, however, did not go quite so
far as Mr.. SHEPARD in giving the reasons
foS that disposition, though 1t is probable
that he agrees with him completely. Mr..
SHEPARD will support a Bryan man be-
cause he now is afraid that he made a mis-
take and the majority of the people of the
Union and of the Greater New York made
a mistake in voting for Mr.. MCKINLEY.
Here are his words
ct am now in doubt as to whether It would have
been better for the people OF the United States II Mr..
BRYAN had been elected instead OF Mr.. MCKINLEY. I
would rather have had Mr.. BRYAN elected in 1895
than in 1900"
OF course II " it would nave been better IL
Mr.. BRYAN had been elected instead of Mr..
MCKINLEY" ii would be better that q
Bryan man rather thar a Mckinley man
should be elected Mayor next autumn.
II the people made a mistake last
November in defeating Mr.. BRYAN, they
have a chance to repair it by assisting in
building up the Bryan machine. They can
elect a Bryan Mayor in 1897, a Bryan Con.
gress In 1898, and then, finally, a Bryan
President In 1900.
Mr.. SHEPARD's expression of a prefer
ence for the election of Mr.. BRYAN In 1896
rather than in 1900 is. of course. idle. He
was not elected last year, and his case
cannot be reopened. Mr.. SHEPARD must
wait for 1900 before he gets a chance to
vote directly for Mr.. BRYAN or for a repro.
sentative of his revolutionary principles.
All he can do now for Organism is to assist
1t by voting for its candidates at the inter,
vening elections, or by cooperating with 1t
In fighting its only serious opponent.
The reasons why Mr.. SHEPARD regreta
that BRYAN was not elected last Novem
Der, he gave thus:
"Republicans won because tho American people
desired sound currency. Republicans practically
promised this result. This promise they have osten
~tatiously and even cynically refused TO perform
having driven through tho House Of Representative
the most i~Diquitous Tariff bill the United States hal
ever known"
The fact Is, however, that Mr.. MCKINLEY
was elected because the American people
would not have an unsound currency, o
dollars cut in two, with the consequent de
struction of national credit and a genera
, business cataclysm and the desired result
has como about. Our dollars continue t
be based on gold and not on silver; thei
, value Is not reduced by about one-half ant
unless Mr.. SHEPARD succeeds In his ap
parent purpose of getting Organism in 1900
we shall continue to have that sound cur
} rency indefinitely.
. As to the neglect of "currency reform
! by President MCKINLEY, what precise re
form does Mr.. SHEPARD want or suggest
l Presumptively 1t is the reform talked abou
: In the indianapolis platform of the "Na
: tional Democrats" but only vaguely dc
scribed therein as taking the Government
out of tie banking business" That means
"e"" ""J'ihB' VoAihS a""
the function of issuing notes from the Gov
eminent and turning it over to the bank
exclusively, and incidentally increasin
the bonded debt 30 materially that ther
. will be added from $4,000, 900 to $I6
( 000, 600 to the interest charges. solely 70
the benefit of the banks. In refusing t
listen to a proposition so nonsensical Pres
dent MCKINLEY has shown that he ha
0 some common sense but even If he ha
actually made it to Congress, it would hav
been laughed at only.
Q No man of any pretence to fairness Q
even reason can accuse President MI
t KINLEY of any culpable negligence In nc
h fastening to take up the currency quel
tion. The Bryan Democrats OF the Ser