The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-08
PEOPLE AND POLITICS.
BY AN OBSERVER.

will not hold him he will set his light
upon the anti-expansion one The DEM
ocratic party married Itself pretty strong
~ 20 Mr. Bryan Ga the glow OK us H'7'
love. There arc many Democrats no"
who would DO glad to exchange nis ietu-
ershiD for that OF other mem put Ni'
Bryan will not readily reiinqul7h l"o
prominence that was accorded MN W.
the campaign III 80 While not eXaclH
a brcfies5 barEstor az that time, ye' no
bounded into worldwide fame ana pioHi-
hence. and the sensation was tnoioubny
enjoyed both by himself and his iflenu9'
The grim and grizzicl old lsnam o. hal-
ris, Of Tennessee. who had Deeh tn'
chief man In working up and comill,tl"S
tho Democratic party 20 the free sHF'l
ISSUE was utterly disguised az seems
this assortive young Wostorner pop Hi
between the election and his hopes ana
carry the nomination and the Demo-
cratic party away with him. harms
called him a id $500 man. now
just what the old Senator meant by TINS
vigorous epithet it Is a little difficult 70
delno without giving offence, Tor many
would be very content with $500 "a year,
but Il seems that no was aiming io tlus
Characterize the utmost limit OK Ar.
Bryan's possibilities rather than nus
present income. that he did not relish tha
power and dignity of fthe Office of Fresi-
dent OF the United States TO say nothing
OF It's $4,000 year salary. going 20 tnl5
"s2 800 man" But then 10 i5 always inc
case that young men leaping into proml--
nenco are apt % be sncereI az py Oh"
and seasoned leadership. Harris went oui
in Texas 10 his ranch and had nothing
to do with the free silver campaign or
1895 The great old fighter IS now dead
ana gone. Young Bryan SIN holds the
centre of the stage But, my. my. how
tired some Democrats are getting OF
HIM Mr.. Bryan. in his first Associated
Press interview after his military career
closed, made no reference 10 free SILVER
and talked as n anti-oNpsnsion was the
issue Of the future. Since then he has
been busy explaining that tho free silver
issue is stiil alive and urgent Governor
Boise OF Iowa. long ago gave mp the
ratio Of l6 % I, Now Judge Mcconnell
Governor Allge.d's partner and delegate
az large from Illinois 90 the Chicago COM
vention comes along and abandons the
l6-tO-t ratio. And so. free silver Us Slide
Ing back into the notch from whence It
started. Mr. Bryan like Ferguson blow
ing his whistle az Kings Mountain. flies
from banquet 90 banquet trying to rally
his scattered hosts But it is no use,
Mr. Bryan You may lead your party 90
an irretrievable. crushing. celebrating
defeat on that ISSUE but you can never
win tho presidency on %.
Blow after blow has been rained upon
the silver issue I'm such rapid succession
that it is difficult 20 ten just how much
OF # is left. Tho great political defeat
80 suffered In the fail of 1896 was enough
% have az least a SOLDERING effect. Then
came the price OF wheat which parted
company with tho price OF silver and
brought % golden shower on the great
wheat areas Of the West. Mortgages
We're paid off, farmers were prosperous,
silver FOR the time being was forgotten.
Then tho STRINGS of new enterprises. or
mills opening and OF increased foreign
trade came TO add a third blow 20 this
propaganda Tho whole commercial sky
began % get r0seato with approaching
dawn. The silver prophets were fast
proving false prophets, prosperity ala
not wait upon tho white metal. Then
came the war with Spain. stirring The
patriotism and martial spirit OF the pe0-
pie to the very bottom. causing them 90
lose all interest In domestic politics ana
looking abroad for glory and FOR hue
manity. 1t seemed that the silver leaders
were 70 be utterly forgotten. Mr. Bryan
tried hard to keep Up with the
head of the procession and join
ed tho martial array. But the
war came and the war has precipitated
many interesting and important Ques-
tons. Sectional lines were sponged out
OF existence and a new crop of leaders
and heroes have caught tine public. To
the midst OF tho general fluctuations and
congratulations growing out OK the war
I'm the midst OF the exciting and Weisnty
problems waiting for solution Co hear
Bryan going about shouting iree SILVER
IS very like Patrick Henry's man shout
ing Beef Beef" 40 the close OK tne
Revolution.
The silver sentiment IS undergoing
transition. Al one time it looked ugly
and dangerous Conservative interests
we're alarmed business of all kinds show
ed signs OF congesuve teac Republican
leaders wero uneasy. tie gold Democrats
looked upon their parry with feelings
very much Ike that Biblical swine-hard
must have felt when he saw an of his
porkers suddenly snin the breeze and
run down a steep declvity and drown
themselves IN the sea. Some men teit
Ike there was 20 use 10 battle against
the rising wave OF the popular freq sil-
yer sentiment that the American people
we're determined 90 az least try the eN-
pertinent. the sooner they wrecked them
selves. the sooner they would mend
themselves. But now an OF that is
changed Many silver Democrats would
gladly pull away from the issue, but the
Republicans are forcing the fighting and
Will not let them ignore this disturbing
economic question. The Republican now
presses his Democratic opponent hard
and charges home 20 him the record of
his party and the platform on this form
erly. dangerous question They win NOT
let the Democrats abandon IL even if they
wanted 20 on that ground the Renubli-
can reels sure no can win again Hence
his attempt 10 corner and c0ndne his
Democratic opponent 10 that ssue and
rlght ont OF this situation grows the
chief harm thar has come and IS now
coming upon tho American people But
for running into the arms OF Mr. BRYAN
and the upheaval OF business conditions
the American people would gladly settle
with the Republican party for rs broken
pledges and scandalous management of
the war. As 10 is, many things at Wash
ington viii go unwhlpprd Of Justice. ana
the very men, that deserve the within
pign most are thoroughly aware Of tie
situation in this country and feel them.
selves protected at every point
MT Henry Wattorson calls the attcn
ton of tne country 20 the fact tnat
party pledges are only made to Doe
broken" which Is paraphrase OF The
old saying that platforms are made 20
get In on not 20 stand on" when tho
platform OF the Democratic party was
adopted in 1892 II took five or ten minutes
for the riotous applause 20 subside which
erected The nlnnk rnnoallng the ton nor