The San Francisco call., 1897-06-09
BRYAN IN CALIFORNIA.

Bryan's visit to California is to be some
thing more than lecture tour by a man
whose career has awakened public curl
osity, and who has a wides pread reputa-
ton for excellence in popular oratory.
The Democrats of the State will welcome
him as leader, and all that their party
machinery and party organs can do to
give to his coming the prestige Of an ex-
traordinary political event will be done.
Unless, therefore. the public is unusually
apathetic to politics, or has become utterly
Indifferent to the "Boy Orator." we may
expect his visit TO be received with some
thing like an ovation wherever the Demo
Gratis are strong enough to muster crowd
anu prom pit it 10 acclaim.
1t will be well under these circumstances
for MIR. Bryan and his friends to under
stand the temper with which the intel
ligent portion of the people of California
will receive him. We are a hospital bic
people and we delight in oratory. For
both of these reasons BRYAN will be well
come. He and his friends, however, must
not suppose that any sort of effusive
rhetoric or high-sounding defamation
will please either the mood or the taste of
the people at this time. The period for
stump oratory closed for time when the
campaign closed last November, and there
is nothing in the condition of affairs now
10 call for further speech-making OF that
kind.
Mr.. Bryan comes to Us heralded as the
leader of great political party and a
prominent aspirant for the Presidency
He will be expected to speak as a states
man, and by that expectation he will be
judged. The people remem beT the speeches
Mckinley made in the course of his great
tour during the panic which followed
Cleveland's Inauguration, and Bryan's ad-
dresses here will be measured by the lofty
standard Mckinley set up. If he desires
his words to have any weight or influence
hc must point out real evils, describe
their nature, trace them to their origin,
demonstrate how they can be cured by the
adoption of right remedies and make clear
what those remedies are.
Two things are certain. II Mr.. Bryan's
oratory depends for its force solely on the
ring and the clang of phrases of little
meaning like ''crowns OF thorns" and
"crosses of GOLD" he may win applause
at the moment from the unthinking, hut
he will achieve nothing of permanent
value either for bimsel or his party. If
he follows the lead of Democratic organs
and undertakes to misrepresent the Nc
kinley administration, by charging that
it is not fulfilling its campaign pledges.
he will meet an even more disastrous fail
ure.
The people know the Democratic free
trade depression cannot be overcome in a
month. They know the Republican party
has already framed a good tariff, and is
carrying it through Congress more rapidly
than was ever done with a similar meas
ure. They know a commission has been
appointed to arrange for return to bimet-
allism by international agreement. They
know thess things have been accom-
pIished by the present administration
within three months, and knowing them
the people will not listen with patience
to any silly declam atoms against a Gov
eminent which has shown itself so eager
and so active in fulfilling its campaign
pledges and advancing the welfare of the.
Republic.
The money problem and the tariff prob
lem are no longer before the people. They
are now in the hands OF a Congress elected
TO settle them and are being dealt
with in a manner which promises
the best solution in the speediest
time possible. On these Issues, therefore,
Bryan can have nothing to say which the
country cares to hear. There is already
criticism, faut-fnding and calamity
bowling more than enough. political
leader ought to have an affirmative policy.
He should stand for something more than
a negative. If Mr.. Bryan has such policy
and can support it with sound reasons,
the people of California will give him an
attentive hearing, but otherwise his COM
ing Will have no effect upon public SEN
timent, and all the uproar raised atout
him will be but sound and fury signify
ing nothing