New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-14
RRYAN on STEALING.

II was only two years and half ago. The
Nation was in the midst OF an electoral cam
pagn conceded on both sides to be one of the
most important. az II was one OF the most ex-
citing and most earnestly contested In Its his
tory. The central dominant. supreme issue
was the Eighth Commandment. Should dol
lar continue to contain Il hundred cents or
should It be arbitrarily cut down to fifty cents?
Should the wage-earner have his daily stlpenu
reduced one-half? Should the savings-bank de-
posltor have half his little store swept away!
Should every industrious, provdent thrifty
person be robbed OF half his legitimate pos
sessions? A certain young man, earnest, eio-
quent. magnetic, took the lead IN urging an
affirmative answer. Hc spoke and labored, Gay
and night, for the sequestratlon of one-hair oil
all his nelghbors goods He demanded the
practical abrogatlon Of the Eighth Command
ment. He made 1t the cornerstone OF his pol
icy and creed that millions OF his countrymen,
without their consent, should be summary
and without redress robbed Of one-half or their
earnings their savings their goods. But the
American electorate answered him with thun-
derous and overwhelming No.
That was two years and a half ago. Other
times other manners The issues have some
what changed The question now IL one OF
peace or war Shall there he lnterminable
strife between two nations. and shall fair Isl
ands which have made appeal to us FOR sue
cor and protection be cast off into anarchy ana
barbarsm or become the prey of contendng
Powers? Or shall rational, honorable COM
pact between two sovereign nations DO con
flrmed. and peace and civilization thereby he
secured? That is the question OF this day
But the same leader is again put forward, Two
and half years older than he was. And with
the same earnestness and eioquence and mag
netism he urges the former answer the choice
for war. confusion, anarchy. And why! BE-
cause OF his now scrupuous regard for the
Eighth Commandment Because he imagines
that IN taking that which Is ours by law ana
by right and by the sovereign concession or It's
former and only lawful owner we shall be yio-
lating tile Sinaltic command.
OF truth, consistency Is something with
which "a great soul has simply nothing to do
With the Eighth Commandment In 1895 per
tnenty applied to seventy million Americans
II was fitting TO play ducks and brakes. win
that same Commandment In 1899. sophis-
tcally attempted to be applied 10 eight mill
ION Flljpnos. one must not dream Of triflng.
When desperate political faction proposes
actual. wholesale theft. for It's own GAIN the
Law Of Sinai Is out Of date When
nation would enter upon benehcent ana en-
lightened policy. into which not suspicion OF
theft or of any dishonesty enters. but which
from beginning to end Is as open and equitable
and honorable IA the Declaration OF lndepen-
dence itself then 1t Is incumbent to call up
Moses from his unmarked sepulchre and invoke
thc tllunders Of Sinai against It,
And this on the anniversary day OF man
who. whatever his faults, was consplcuously Il
hater oe cant and OF hypocrisy, and one or me
sturdlest and most aggressive or Americans
and Of believers In the growth. expansion and
world encompassng destiny of the American
Nation he