Rock Island Argus., 1898-01-31

The attempts on the part Of the
gold organs 70 dismiss Hon. W. J.
Bryan as . "back number" "a dead
issue.- and to relegate him to the
forgotten past, strikes the Washing.
ton ID. Z Post as not being particu-
larly happy OF well.iounded. IL
says:
whether they have been inspired
BY honest ignorance OF public senti.
mens throughout the country. or are
mere demonstrations Of malice and
decei;, We do not undertake to say.
Perhaps We should accept both ex.
plantations with o geographical divis-
ion. as,ributing the ignorance to the
east and the deceitful purposes to
the west. No newspapers in the
United States have poorer UNDER
standing Of popular opinion than the
great metropolitan dailies,' because
none Of them are so cock sure Of
their own omnisclence and OF the
overshsdowing Importance Of the
community they represent. To find
the true provincial, the hopelessly
narrow view Of things, one must 90
TO New York. Compared with that
big. bumptious and complacent sg-
gregation Of prigs. Hogcye. Tex. Is
veritab!e cosmopoiis. We can
easily believe that New Workers
speak in perfect candor when they
say that Mr.. Bryan is o closed incl
dent, for they regard their own ver-
dict on . national issue as beyond
appeal.
"But neither conceit nor misrepre-
sentstion will avail to dispose Of Mr..
Bryan. Every intelligent and COM
prehensive observer Of public events
knows thst he Is stronger with the
party today than he Was year ago;
that he has lost mono OF the marvel.
Gus personal influence which he ex-
crted during she campaign Of 1896;
that the principles for which he
stands are ~ ardently espoused by
the democratic masses as they were
when Bryan proclaimed them with
the fire OF his enthusiasm and the
witchery Of his eloquence. Nc one
need be deceived by the circum-
stances OF the recent campaign iu
New York City. The fact that Tam
many ignored the Chicago platform
is Of no significance. We may ad-
nit that, for the immediate purposes
Of that particular struggle, and in
order 10 recover control Of municipal
sfsirs-to rescue Greater New York,
in fact, from the dispensation OF an
impudens and hypocritical tyranny
the democratic masses consented to
the Croker-Whitney program. But
that proves nothing. Indeed, we
may say that, even II IL involved
the permanent rejection Of Mr.. Bryan
and the Chicago declaration by
the New York organizs:ion-which
10 does not-the fact would be
Of minor consequence. The demo-
Gratis of the nation are not under
New York control. The millions
Who voted for Mr.. Bryan In 1896 do
not look in that direction for guild.
snee and leadership. They would
not be moved one hairs breadth from
their purpose IL New YORK we're to
threaten them with absolute seces.
sion. They lost New York in 1896.
They can aford to lose IL in 1900.
They have no calculations based
upon New York as an indispensable
factor In their scheme. They know
that Mr.. Bryan and the Chicago plat.
form brought out more votes. year
before last, than any democratic can.
didate ever received betore-nearly q
million more than Mr.. Cleveland had
In is92-and they are content with
that record and the brilliant prospec,
it opens 10 them in the future.
LET no one imagine that Mr..
Bryan 10 dead issue. II Q demo
cratic convention were 70 sssemb bic
today. he would be without . serisul
competitor. Unless oil political con.
disions be revolutioniied meanwhile,
he viii be even stronger two year.