The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-15

When IL was announced that William
Jennings RryaR would take advantage of
the leisure time accorded him by bis de-
fea, for the presidency to write a book
II was naturally anticipated that tn.
forthcoming volume would be a aisqui-
sition upon the principles OF the new
school Of political economy 10 whtch he
and his friends belong; that IL would at
least be ar addition to the literature upon
arguments which could be advanced By
the most distinguished advocate Of the
free coinage theory.
The book has appeared, and its sale Is
cow being pressed by agents In al parts
OF the United States. Speaking frankly,
the book is a swinele. a mere c2teh-penny
device; of such mechanical description
that IL Is positively Illuminating 70 think
that the man guilty OF putting it upon the
market was actually q candidate for pres
iasnt OF the United States and received
SONS 100000 OF votes for the Office II In
the haIdest attempt 10 caJole the dollars
out OF the people by trading upon poIti-
cal reputation which has ever bean seen
In this country.
with the exception Of brief biographi-
cal sketch furnished BY airs. Bryan, which
makes Up the FIRST thirty pages OF the
book proper. the volume is simply COM
pilation made with paste pot ard shears
from the Congressional Record and from
newspspsr accounts OF Dir. Bryan's
speeches During the campaign. strung to-
gether with al extremely slender thread
Of narrative. Not one single new point lie
made. not a single Hight thrown upon the
unWritten history OF the campaign, not
syllable OF new argument and hardly
line OF matter which has not appeared in
the columns OF every daily Newspaper IN
the United States The volume is made
Tor no other purpose on earth except TO
sell; and It is machine made at that.
There is probably not newspaper re-
porter IN the United States who would not
have power equal 20 the task OF compiling
the volume IN ga good shape as Il Is at
present. nor would IL have been necessary
for such reporter 10 have gona outside
81 the flies Of any daily Newspaper to fnd
all the material contained In the volume.
AIR Bryan's reputation must suffer BY
permitting this machine made compilation
OF newspaper clippings 10 so cat az a seFi-
oas work % his authorship. when the OBJ
Sset OF SIS hurried pu5.ieatio in this crude
form Is 50 brsxsRly apparent. II Is simply
making MERCHANDISE % his epAenegAI
prominence. trading upon his transitiys
reputation. 20 catch a few dollars before
he slnks into o5scurlty. II would have
been scarcely 8 more unaigntas6 procedure
upon his part had he lent himself Tor ex-
hihiuon in a dime museum a. a nightly
salary.
Afr Bryan Is a young man. ana. II IS
stated. Is far from wealthy. II Is hardly
likely that either ho or his family are SUI
fering Cor the common necssssriss OF nfe.
lie has two professions. in either OF which
x would seem that he should bs ahls 20
earn Sufficient 20 support him IN handsome
style. lie Is thus deprived % the only
possible excuse which migAt - made for
the Pghlicstioa OF this newspaper scrap
book AR Bryan should have considered
that something was due to the great po,lt-
zeal party which nominated him As !fs
candidate foT the greatest Office Ia TIE GIT
% tho people. ard have hesgtstea some
tine before, for TIE sake OF making q few
Gelsrs. BE deliberately pAr&6ea himself
IS q fakir. ard literary fAkiF 81 that.