The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-06


complete without few false predictions
beforehand and lying statements afterwards
by William j. Bryan. Whatever else may
be said of the Nebraska statesman, it must
be admitted that from his first appearance
in politics he has maintained consistently
the reputation of a political fakir In Con-
gress he did not display a particle of legis-
lative capacity, and the only mark of his
service there is a rhetorical and flamboyant
speech in favor of free trade. Having dis
covered that he had voice and talent for
posing, he cultivated these qualities until
he found chance to launch himself before
the Chicago convention. His nomination on
the strength of that speech, without any ev
idence that he possessed solid qualities of
character, was harlequinade unparalleled
in the history of politics. His wild trips
throughout the country after his nominal
ton and his frenzied appeals to the people
to free themselves from foreign domination
by declaring in favor of policy discarded
by all civilized countries showed he was
fit leader of the cause he represented. His
speeches were characteristic of the man,
plausible, superficial, rhetorical and empty,
sound and fury signifying nothing. Defeat
ed for President he leaped into the field of
authorship and inflicted on the public his
autobiography-the egotistical story of
life barren of notable deeds or important
results He had long since tried law and
journalism, and abandoned both. From au-
thorship he turned to lecturing, and failing
in that, became his own advance agent to
make dates at county fairs, where he was
billed with double-headed calves and other
freaks, and drew his share of the gate
money. The county fair season had not
ended before the political campaign opened
and he was able to make engagements here
and there for speeches. Excluded from New
York and Maryland, he was welcomed by
the fusionists in Nebraska and the free
silverites in Kentucky, two States which are
competing for the honor of being the last
ditch of Organism. With characteristic
fondness for political trickery and spectac-
ular effects, he lent himself to a scheme
by which he was to appear suddenly in Ohio
a few days before the election and preach
a new propaganda of free silver. An en-
thusiastic follower said, lone blast upon
his bugle horn were worth a thousand
men" He was worth more than that per
blast to the Republicans. He made less
than twenty speeches, and good judges es-
innate that they were worth at least 10000
votes to the Republicans. His date at Gin
cinnati was Cancelled for fear he would do
more harm than good, and he was sent to
Cleveland to defeat Senator Hanna. Re
fbo ID
state ticket nearly 5000 majority and elect
ed three Republican senators and nine Re
publican representatives. On the Sunday
before the election Bryan said in Chicago
that the Democrats in Ohio expected to
elect the Governor and carry the Legis-
lature. He added: II feel sure the free
silver forces will make large gains in
Iowa" Instead of that they made large
losses. Last year Bryan received 22S, TAI
votes in that State while in the recent cleo
ton White the Democratic candidate for
Governor, received only 199,567. The vote for
Shaw, the Republican candidate, was 10000
more than was ever cast for a Republican
gubernatorial candidate before. The free
silver vote fell off 30,14 from last year.
while the gold Democrats polled 5,434 votes
this year against 4516 last year. In the
same interview in which he predicted large
free-silver gains in Iowa Bryan said II
made four speeches in Nebraska, and feel
sure that we will carry the State" OBJ
serve his confidence in the effect of his
speeches. The day after the election he tel
egraphed from Lincoln to Senator Jones, of
Arkansas, Nebraska increases her major
ity for silver" On the contrary, it was ma
terially reduced. Last year Bryan carried
Nebraska by 1910, while this year the flu
sionists carry it by less than S,0oQ. He is
discredited at every point, his claims after
the election as well his predictions be-
fore. What will he say or do next? After
having boxed the compass of occupations
from a lawyer without practice to a lee
turer without audiences, and quit the coun-
ty fair business just in time to get some
engagements as a campaign speaker, he
wound up by becoming false prophet and
fraudulent claimant. His autobiography is
written the county fair season is over and
the campaign is ended, but there is one
resource still left him. He should get some
body to write play entitled "A Political
Fakir'' and take the leading part.