The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-08-28
WHERE is THE BOY ORATOR ?
Prosperity Overwhelming the Free
silver ShOuter.

silver Shouter.
Wages and the price of wheat and
corn and cotton and all other farm
products. as well us of railroad and
other securities. are rising, and the
price of silver is going down, down.
From every part of the country comes
the welcome intelligence that business
is reviving; that confidence is taking
the place of distrust; that unmistakabe
signs of prosperity are seen on every
hand. Here is n sample of good news
from Nebraska: Merchants are buoy
ant and without exception declare that
business is steadily improving. Our
factories and shops are running to their
full capacity, notably those of farm inn
plements, the force of employees having
been largely increased, while orders are
still rolling in ut an unprecedented rate.
Farmers are jubilant and Nebraska is
laughing in her fatness." Thus writes
w. II. Edgar. of Beatrice.
The marked and happy change in the
condition of the country, despite the
steady fall in the price of silver. sug-
gests the inquiry: Where is the Boy
Orator of the Platte? Only n few short
months ago he was fillinga large space.
Everybody was informed daily, and sew
eral times day, as to his whereabouts
and movements; where he spoke and
what he said; what he ate and drank.
and how he slept, and so on. Almost
everybody remembers many things
that he said in the several hundred
campaign speeches he delivered. espe-
cially the assertions that the distress
then existing throughout the country
was wholly due to the closing Of the
minis of the United States to the free
coinage of silver, and that confidence
would never be restored and prosperity
return until the minis were opened for
such coinage at the ratio of sixteen to
one, without asking the aid or consent
of any other nation"
Millions of his fellow-countrymen
believed Bryan's assertions and regard
ed his defeat for the presidency as a
public calamity. and he fully agreed
with them. In turn they sympathized
with him. and for some months after
the election he managed to keep himself
well before the public eye. He went
right on delivering speeches and prophe-
sying wherever and whenever he could
find an audience. and all his movements
and utterances were faithfully chron-
icled in the popocratic newspapers.
Only two short months ago they were
doing this, and his followers were re-
peating with gusto the question which
he asked in every speech: where is
the Mckinley prosperity that was prom
ised us?" and his statement that he
was compelled Ito say with regret that
he had been unable to discover any in
dications of returning prosperity"
The chief popocratic apostle of free
silver and general distress and misery
was somewhat slow to perceive what
was happening all about him, but at
last he did begin to realize that times
were actually growing better-better
for the country. but worse for Bryan
and his theories and prophecies. His
rhetoric was as forid. his assertions
were as loud and bold. and he faced his
audiences with smile as expansive
as ever; but he evidently began to feel
n lack of confidence in his followers,
if not in himself.
The trip to Mexico to lay in a stock
of fresh illustrations from actual OBJ
servation of the blessings of debased
money standard was abandoned. and
one through the silver states of the
Rocky mountain region and on to the
Pacific coast was planned. There, IL
anywhere, he could get new inspiration
and regain his self-confidence. and his
speeches would arouse the enthusiasm
and applause which are as the breath
of life to his nostrils. Alas! the jour
ney had been deferred too long.-Chi-
cago Tribune.
DPresident Mckinley evidently
knew John Sherman a good deal bet