The morning news., 1898-12-17
BRYAN AND THE nLvER ISSUE.

DIX a Y AND TIVE INV In 1851
The interview which Col Bryan gave the
Morning News last Tuesday Oh the sub.
ject of imperialism, and which was dis
tributed TO the press Of the country by
the Associated Press, IS interpreted by
many Of the newspapers to mean that he
regards the silver issue as dead. The
! New York Herald, for instance. says: 1T
is to the credit of Col. Bryan's inteli-
| gence that he perceives that the silver is
sue is dead" While it is true that in the
interview Col Bryan said nothing about
silver, it doesn't follow that he. has aban-
doned that issue. or that he thinks that
it no longer has vitality. There was no
| reason why he should have said anything
about silver in his interview on imperial
ism. He was not undertaking to point out
what would be the issue before the coun-
try in 1900. He attempted to do nothing
more than to state his position on ques-
ton that is now occupying the attention
of the country to the exclusion of almost
every other.
As a matter of fact he has not aban-
doned the silver question, though it is
difficult to see what reason there Is for
thinking that it will be a strong issue in
the next presidential campaign. The eiec-
lions last fan seemed to show that that
issue hasn't as strong hold on the c6un-
try now as it had in 1896. Besides, the
very great increase in the production of
gold is likely to settle the silver question
without the aid of legislation, and such a
settlement would be much more satisfac-
tory than any other.
Col. Bryan, however, intends, as far as
he can, to keep the silver question at the
front. In an interview on his way to
Washington from Savannah he said to a
reporter for the World: "The silver ques-
ton is not dead. 1t is as strong as ever
ana it viii not diminish. The feeling for
silver is as strong now as it was in 1896
when the opposition to the gold standard
took its stand on the Chicago platform
1t was right then, and it is right now. 1t
the Chicago platform is as strong to-day
as it was in 1895, when it was adopted"
Senator Jones, the chairman of the Dem
ocratic national committee, approves the
declarations of Col Bryan against impe
rialism, and says that they will meet the
approval of the Democratic party, but that
neither Imperialism nor any other question
can supefsede the greater one of the free
and unrestricted coinage of silver Sena-
tor Teller says that Bryan and silver will
be the issue in 1900-that the issue of i'm
perialism will be settled long before the
campaign of that year will have begun.
It is evident that Col Bryan does not
think that the issue of Imperialism will
be out of the way before 1900. He would
not have taken hold Of it so earnestly if
he had thought that it would be an issue Of
only few months. 1t will not be settled
quite as soon as Senator Teller thinks il
Will. His mind is so occupied with the
silver question that he cannot see that
there are other questions The indica-
lions now are that in giving the question
of Imperialism such prominence Col. Brv
an has strengthened his position as the
leader of the Democratic party. Rv com
ing out SO strongly against imperialism
without consulting the leaders of his party
he may have incurred their displeasure to
some extent, but if there is any such feel
ing 1t will soon pass away.