The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-05-26
MIR. BRYAN IN 1900.

We sympathize with those POpulists
VIM. J. Bryan. He is many respects
great and amirable man. If the Demo-
cratic party was, IN national sense, a
fixed quantity; and all of these radicals
entertaining even one-half of our prin'
ciples, we might be willing to consider
the proposition to let the Peoples Party
go by the board. But there is no GER
tainty of anything of the kind. The
Democracy killed seven free silver bills
in congress before they broke loose
from gold-bug domination at Chicago
and nominated Mr.. Bryan. 1t was done
in a splendid spasm of enthusiasm
Who can tell what the party will do In
it's next convention. When will its free
silver enthusiasm give out? When will
the old gang reassume power?
1t may be answered:-never. But
who can tell? All sorts of influences
are at work. In the house of repre-
members divided squarely in half
one-half of them voted with the Popu-
lists and the other half assisted Car
Reed to prevent the appointment of the
committees, lest the financial question
should be acted upon!
There Is a humorous poem concerning
an adoring swain who married a beauti-
full girl, and when they retired for the
night, she took off her golden tresses
and placed them on a chair; then she
removed her false teeth and laid them
by the hair; the. "plumpness'' from
her cheeks followed suit; the various
"paddings" increased the pile; and then
an artificial leg was unstrapped. The
proceedings with horror; in doubt, as
the poem said, whether,
ITO follow the fragment that got into
bed,
Or sit up with the portion that's piled
on the chair"
And that is exactly the sentiment of
perplexity which fills the PopuIist
BOSOM as it sees Democracy splitting in
to fragments and profound internecine
war raging, which may result in 1900
In bringing Grover Cleveland to the top
and sending William ]. Bryan to the
bottom.
Here is an extract from the Chicago
Times-Herald of May 18th, which shows
how the forces of dissolution are at
work in that city:
Silver men are visibly agitated over the
developments of an extensive plan which
reaches into administration circles for tho
elimination or the silver issue Immediate
~ after the congressional campaign. and
the formation of plan to place Illinois in
conservative position of power to name
the national nominee in 1900
1T is claimed that the influence has
made itself felt in the county Democracy
ana the Democratic County Central Com
mittee. The suggestion to purchase an
immense oil painting of Mr. Bryan for the
assembly room Of the County Democracy
has failed. A small Autograph in a cheap
frame, side-tracked from the usual place
OF honor is pointed to as another mile
stone In the advance of the 'conservati, IS
who are quietly knitting the Nebraska m n
as presidential possibility in 1900
There Is a big split slowly but surely e-
veloping in the ranks Of local democra cy
since the last municipal election. There Is
strons talk OF a large secession of silver
men from the County Democracy and the
formation of a new Bryan club If this
cret hostility to their champion continues
Stand fast, friends. by the Peoples
Party. 1t would be midsummer mad
ness to destroy 1t now. You may have
half the Democracy fiocking to your
standard before 1900.
mo one 'can look into the seed ot
time, and say which grain will grow and
which will not" One thing is sure:--the
creation Of the Peoples Party in 1891
and 1892 was God-ordained necessity:
and there was not a reason for its birth
then that does not demand it's continued
life now and for centuries to come