Omaha daily bee., 1898-11-16
BRYAN SEES SILVER LINING
Republican Success at the Late Elections
Causes No Surprise.
CHICAGO PLATFORM IS NOT RePUDlATel
Colonel of the Third Nebraska Says
the War OvershndOwed All
Other Issues In the
Campaign.

LINCOLN. Neb., Nov. 15.-Colonel w. ].
Bryan tonight gave TO the Associated Press
the following interview relative to the late
election
while I do not understand that service
in the volunteer army prevents a soldier
from expressing opinions upon political
questions, l declined to take part in the
late campaign lest l should be accused by
partisan opponents OF attempting to en-
barrass the administration. Now that the
election Is over / shall exercise a citizens
privilege Of discussing the returns.
Compared with the election of 1896 the
republicans have gained In some places and
lost in others. 1t was not sweeping re-
publican victory. On the whole, the result
is not surprising when 1t is remembered
that the administration Is just concluding
u successful war.
while a majority of the soldiers are
propably anti-republican, the management
OF the war has been entirely in republican
hands and the strongest argument used dur
ing the campaign was that a republican
defeat would discredit the president In the
eyes Of foreign nations, while his commits
Honers were engaged in making a treaty.
1T was not a trial upon the issues now
before the people, but successful plea for
a continuance of the case. The people have
not accepted the gold standard; they have
not fallen in love with the plan to give
the banks a monopoly Of the issue of paper
money; they have not decided to retire
the greenbacks; they have not surrendered
to the trusts.
"These questions were forced into the
background by the declaration Of war. but
they must be faced again as soon as peace
is restored. The Chicago platform presents
for public consideration certain vital, eco
nomic questions That platform has not
been abandoned by those who endorsed it
in 1896. 1t will be reaftirmed in 1900, be-
cause 1t gives expression to the hopes and
aspirations Of large majority of the party.
when the democrats, populists and sir
yer republicans favored Cuban independence
they understood that war would give a
temporary advantage to the party in power.
but they were willing to risk defeat in order
to aid the people fighting to be free.
Neither can the election be regarded as
an endorsement Of any definite foreign pol
icy. Until a treaty of peace has been en-
tered into and the terms made known the
people cannot pass judgment upon 1t.
Whether the war will raise any question
Of sufficient importance to turn public at
tention away from domestic problems re-
mains to be seen."
In regard to the Nebraska election he
said: IA light vote was cast in Nebraska.
but the fusionists have elected the entire
etate ticket and carried the same ronEres
sional districts that they carried in 1896.
II Senator Allen is defeated for reelection
1t will be because senators are elected by
legislators instead of by the people. II a
republican senator is chosen by the new
legislature he will go to Washington to rep
resent a minority Of the people of the state
and to thwart the wilf Of the majority"