The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1898-09-08
"A Silent Man.

y
the subject of expansion when it first
came up, but is now. st. Louis Dem
ocrat.
When Mr.. Bryan took occasion to
utter his eloquent protest he had not
been mustured into the service of the
United States, True, he had been ap-
pointed to the colonelcy of regiment
and was on the eve of a movement to-
ward the front; but the fact that he
was still outside of the Federal service
made it possible for him to address his
fellow-citizens upon any question of
public policy without violating laws,
regulations, rules, or ethics. Indeed,
there were one or two officers of high
rank who were quoted as having deliv-
cred themselves with great freedom in
favor Of expansion just about the time
when Mr., Bryan sounded his blast on
the other side.
Since Mr. Bryan became an officer in
the volunteer army of the United States
he has made no public utterances upon
any question of national policy, but
has attended strictly to the discharge of
his duties. To intimate that his change
from talking to "a silent man. is
evidence of q lack of moral courage is
not generous, to say the least. Since
his conspicuous career as Presidential
candidate had its phenomenally sensa-
tional beginning, Mr.. Bryan has made
no exhibition of moral cowardice at
any time or in any place. Wheth-
er in ''the enemy's country" or in
regions dominated by his friends he
has not hesitated to assail the most
powerful influences and to express his
radical views. The Post is not in ac-
cord with Mr.. Bryan or his platform.
1t does not regard the 1G to 1 PROPOSE
tion with loss disfavor now than it did
in 1896, and it would be glad to see that
issue supplanted by something less
menacing to the stability of national
currency and credit and the general
business interests of the country, But
the Post is not inclined to ignore the
superb race, the magnificent campaign,
that the Nebraska statesman made two
years ago, nor to make light of the
hold that he still retains on the admi-
ration, respect, and confidence of some
millions of his countrymen.
1t happened to Col. Bryan, as it did
to Mr., Cleveland and Mr.. Bailey, to
take an unpopular position and to be
called down by many organs and some
conventions of his party. But who
will venture to assert that, if Col. Bry-
ans mouth had not been sealed bv his
muster into the service, he would not
have continued to cry out against con-
quest andsexpansion? No one knows
or has reason to suspect that his opin-
ion on that subject has been changed
by the cool reception accorded it. He
doubtless still believes that the expul-
sion of Spain from Cuba should have
been the limit of cur aggression. Be
lieying that and being free to talk, who
doubts that he would be a formidable
adversary for the ablest champion of
expansion?
Where is there another public mar
whose hold on his political brethren
matches that OF the Nebraska states
man? In the Texas democratic conven-
ton the anti-expansion policy was con-
demned, but the delegates who thus
voted against the latest deliverance of
Col. Bryan enthusiastically indorsed
him for the Presidential race of 1900.
There is scarcely a possibility that
the question of expansion will be an is
sue between the two parties in the next
great roundup. At this time only a
small minority Of either party opposes
the retention of all the territory to
which we have asserted any kind of
claim, including all the Philippines. It
looks now as if 10 to had the right of
way for another race. And it looks, too,
as if the old leader would be again in
demand. Long before that time he will
have ended his military service, and
"the silent man" will be both free and
willing to talk. And should events
prove that he made mistake in his
anti-expansion speech, he will have a
notable array of fellow-bIunderers, IN
Guiding John Sherman, George f. Ed
monds, Grover Cleveland, and long
list of men who have played great parts
in our political history.