The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-14
7RNSTa on HILYER1
why Mr.. Bryan II Likely TO Adhere to the
Main Issue OF 1900.

! To THE EDITOR OF THE SUH-Sjr! To WILL
lam J. Bryan. must be nacrlbed moro OF the at
tributes and qualifications OF political leader
ship thnn appear to be possessed by any OF his
| associates and advisers. To tho great body OF
voters. and especially to such as continue TO
| call themselves Democrats, Mr.. Bryan repre-
| sents n continuing and clear-cut issue. the tri-
umph and acceptance OF which would operate,
| II Ia believed by them. to tho material benoht
OF those who cspouse It, while contributing
undeniahly. to the injury, loss in business.
diminution OF income and business OF those
who resist the establishment az tho Mexican
monetary system in the United States
The appeal OF Bryan In 1896 was to the debit
ors OF tho United States. more numerous Mt
that reriod than Ia the case to-day. To
farmers. oppressed with the obligation Of
meeting tho interest and principal Of mort
Cages. tho Popul!st method ofliquidating debts
in cheap money appealed almost irresistibly at
timc OF acute agricultural depression. Many
firm mortgagsa were past due: unsecui cd
loAns for merchandise. materials and impe.
ments were pressing; aud in the absence Of bus
mess confidence at homo and n profitable mar
ket for American cereals abroad tho time wns
certainly proptious for an appeal to farmers
support on an issue containing promise OF ul-
innate relief. however attained.
by tho Federal census OF 1890 it was shown
that 80 por cent. OF the farms In Nebraska wers
encum bered with mortgages. In South Dako-
Ia. Iowa and North Dakota the percentage was
the same. In Michigan 1t was -: In Mime
sofa 1t was 40 aud In Kansas. then the hotbed
OF Popullsm. 1t was higher than in any other
state namely 30 per cont. The agric uturnl
methods which prevail in the Southern ard
southwestern States. especially in the cotton
States. Ro-called. Include the Leasing OF farms
on shares. and the mortCaging, as security for
loans or credit. not the lanl but the crops
raised upon it--cotton or corn, as the cnsc mny
be. BY tho Federal census OF 1890. the last
one preceding tho Presidential election OF 1885,
90 per cont OF the farms OF Mississippi. 81 OF
Alabama. 40 OF Texas and ~ OF Tennessee
were rented out. The proposition to substi-
tute cheaper standard Tor the repayment Of
existing loans was received with cquanimity
by the farmers OF these States generally.
To the debtors then. tho agricultural debts
OF the South and West the appeal OF Bryansm
was most successful. The army OF the dscon-
tented found recruits In the East among the
idle. the unemployed. those whose labor was
In little demand. and those whose business
entanglemcnts the free and unlimited coinage
1t was hoped would relieve or redress In the
ensuing battle good faith and national honor
trlumphed. but not by q majority SO large or
by popular determination so decisive as to
preclude continuance OF the fight. 1t has
continued. though with diminished vigor
wherever. MS in Kansas. prosperity has been
general: and from Kansas this week the re-
port comes that In 45 counties the poorhouses
are empty and in 81 there is not case on tho
criminal docket for August. while the corn
crop figures are 400.OOOOOO bushels for the
1890 harvest
General as the material prosperity OF a coun-
try may be, however 1t does not come in equal
measure to all the people. Some benefit more
from 1t than do others. There are in every COM
munity dissatisfied and disconnected persons.
and there are many others In times OF national
prosperity whose expectations OF gain remain
unrealized. To an such. Organism. the protest
OF the disconnected. rHSains an issue. In
continuing his open and consistent advocacy OF
the free coinage OF silver Mr.. Bryan counts on
two forces Of Importance in American politics:
first. the natural reaction after n great victory
by political party. reaction favorable to its
opponents and secondly. the hope that with an
honest-money Senate securely in control for
several years in Washington. the gallant COM
prehensve and vigorous battle OF the conserv-
alive forces OF the United states against Bryan
will not be duplicated in 1900.
In the absence Of any immediate danger from
free coinage. it Is hardly probable that 1t would
De duplicated. and it is undeniable that
the Democratic party. az now led and as now
constituted. relieved OF the burden OF an I'M
popular national Administration on the one
hand and OF the monaco OF Populism on the
other. is In better condition for fighting than IL
was In the August preceding the national cam
patgn OF three years ago. Let us. says Mr..
Bryan. continue In 1900 whore we left off in
1895. Let us keep in the middle 81 the road
with silver coinage as our chief reliance. hold
ing what States We had three years ago and
adding wherever we can to the number OF
those which our party friends control
Let us, rather. say the advisers and critics
OF Bryan In the camp OF Democratic Porullsm,
change the issue" substituting war on
trusts" and against 'plutocracy."
war on trusts and plutocracy cannot. in a
political sense. promise much The producing
sections. as Bryan called them. are not interest
ed In such contest and would profit nothing
BY 1t, II successful. The trusts. existing as the
result OF business conditions which II was not in
the power OF any man to create. or now OF any
man to alter, have prospered and expanded be-
cause they furnish commodities to consumers
at a cheaper cost than was the case Before
They have brought about the cheaperl prices
through consolidation. through economies in
production, and through more progressive me-
thods OF manufacture. The trusts have not af-
feeted adversely the selling prices OF cereals bv
American producers and nve American sta PIES
iron. wool. zinc hard wood and "copper" are In
phenomenally active demand. Farmers West
and Southwest. the back bone OF the Bryan move
ment in 1896. are purchasers OF manufactured
goods chiefly. and In such as are manufactured
by trusts the decline In prices has been largest
80 large In fact that the American exports OF
such manufactured articles as farmers require
are now far in excess Of what they have ever
been before
A'war on trusts" offers Western and South
ern farmers no promise NJ relief from their
obligations or the interest they pay
on loans: It allures them with no assurance OF
enlarged markets for agricultural goods and
contains only a pledge OF return to the time
when farm implements and clothing cost
more than they do now Undoubtedly some
middemen. some minor dealers and some
men will suffer from the reorgani-
zation OF business to the advantage OF con-
sumers. The StaRe-coach drivers invelghed
against the railroads; the captains OF sailing
ships protested against tho substitution OF
steam boats and steamers. and there arc few
or whaors who appreciated, Mt
hA : linz 49, tai ptrn