The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-14
MR.. BRYAN RETIRES-HIS PLACE
IN POLITICS.

my, merely, does not send him to private
life. 1t only changes the arena of his
public service. He relinquishes the mill
tary, now that peace has been formally
effected, and there is no service that calls
for his longer enlistment, and returns to
civil leadership where are to be fought
enemies as dangerous to human liberty
as Spanish bullets were dangerous to
human life.
When the country called for volunteers,
Mr.. Bryan was among the first to en-
list. He knew that in so doing the OPP
portunity for winning distinction would
be dened him by narrow partisan adj
mnistraton, but he felt it his duty in the
hour of his country's need to offer his
services. He had no thought of making
reputation or winning fame. He
knew that the little man over
the War Department would see
to it that he was placed where
no preferment could come. His enlist
ment had in it every element of the
self-sacrifce of the highest patriotism.
From the day he enlisted, the country
has been familiar with the policy that
feared his success so much that his
regiment was denied decent treatment.
1t was weeks and weeks before it was
equipped and every neglect that coois
the soldiers ardor was practiced toward
the regiment And yet, even though the
President left the White House to make
a campaign tour in Nebraska, the sol
der from Nebraska has never been
heard to utter a complaint. His but
to do and die" or worse still. his but
to know and feel that his was regi-
ment marked for neglect.
The two most brilliant Americans who
volunteered in the war with Spain We're
Mr.. Bryan and Mr.. Roosevelt. Both are
men possessing the highest civil virtues
and unquestioned courage. An admins
tration that would have gwen them each
a fair chance would have followed the
dictates of common decency. Mr.. Bryan
had received a million majority of the
white vote of America for Commander i'll
Chief of the American Army and Navy
at the last election. He was entitled to
at least fair treatment. Mr. Roosevelt
had shown ability of a high order, and
was entitled to a fair chance. Mr.. Roose-
welt was Republican. His regiment
was equipped at once and given the OPP
portunity of winning the fame to which
his courage and noble bearing entitle
him. Mr.. Bryan was a Democrat. His
regiment was not equipped until the war
was practically ended, and there was
from the first a successful and studied
purpose to keep him where he could not
do any signal service for his country.
While thus placed in an obscure position,
the President left the White House to
canvass in Nebraska for Republican
victory--thus proving that political adj
vantage was behind the treatment of Mr..
Bryan by the War Department. The
smallness and meanness of the policy is
now so well known that it has reacted
upon those guilty of it.
Mr.. Bryan returns to civil life at n
time when the need is felt of an unselish
patriot to lead against the forces that
are working for the destruction of the
welfare of the masses and the the very
mudsills of our Republican form of gov
eminent. There never was time when
the trusts rode SO boldly rough-shod over
the people. They have multiplied moreI
since McKinley's administration than in
a decade before. They openly dictate pol
icies and elections, feeling that they have
no longer need to plot IN the dark. They
are shameless in their defiance Of the
law because they know that no Repub-
lican office-holder dares to bring them TO
trial for their illegal operations. They
have "waxed fat and kick" The indig-
nation of the people has grown against
these Illegal robbers who accumulate
their wealth by methods that would land
them in the penitentiarv if their ill-gotten
gains did not enable them to buy immu-
nit. rom punishment. There is not trust
magnatc or creature of the trusts who
does not hate Bryan. Why? Because
they know they can neither silence him
nor bride him, and because they knew he
stands for the king up at any cost
of all illegal combinations, whether in
the hands Of the rich and powerful or in
the hands of the poor and the weak
i ne money trust, now getting ready to
burn all the Treasury notes and give
to national banks full and unrestrained
power to expand or contract the cur
rency at will, fears Mr. Bryan. 1t knows
that he is the sworn enemy of special
privilege and injustice, and wages eter-
nal warfare against the domination of
the Treasury by selfish money-changers.
The ''imperialists," led to favor the ac-
quirement Of the Philippines by desire
for field where "jobbing" can flourish
| and ''unscrupulous capitalists can fleece
'