Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-09-13

uo INTELLECTUALLY p0hsyS 90 ~ OAioso soAoyS
10 is, perhaps, more laborlous and care
ul, more studious and suspicious of
ssues that originate in popular clamor
han any other.
This statement may surprise men
Who look upon Mr.. Bryan as mere
passionate orator. BUTT is the sim
pie truth. His political passions are
passions of what he conceives to be
principles. This is the key to the
Bryan of today. He is conservative
rather than radical, fundamental rather
than practical.
Since his nomination in 1895, Mr..
Bryan has grown graver, broader,
deeper. He has lost what was in him,
sectional feeling, and looks to. the
swarming east to help the south and
west in the struggle against the abuses
of corporate wealth in politics. He is
more natural in his point of view. To
day be seems to understand that q man
may disagree with him on the currency
question and yet be q sincere democrat,
as representing the party creed as
whole.
Although have not been support
er of Mr.. Bryan. l am convinced by
personal contact with him and by my
knowledge of what he has accom-
plished and is accomplishing now, that
three years have changed him from
sectional leader, inspired but enthralled
by single idea into many sided, re-
sponsible statesman. His patient tact,
his courageous devotion to principle
and his power of compelling confidence
in his honesty are gradually reuniting
the democratic party.
Let no one be deluded by the idea
that Mr.. Bryan does not understand
party politics in all its rsmifications.
1 should say that he is at this moment
the most astute politician in the United
States. Think of the extraordinary
ability and knowledge required to hold
in union the democratic, populist and
free silver republican parties; think of
q defeated candidate who can for three
years without power or place, hold the
attention of the entire nation, speak
boldly and without reserve on every
public issue in time of constant and
fierce excitement, and yet not make q
single political blunder; in these three
years he has become more moderate in
speech and less rhetorical. He is reason
able rather than EDITORIAL.
speak of him as profound and
mssterful politician, because that is
the side of his character not generally
underftood. Neither Senator Hanna,
President Mckinley, David B, Hill,
Arthur P. German nor Richard Croker
is in the same grade with him as party
politician. He seems to rule without
threats, without promises and without
money. He is building up an organiza-
ton that will compare in completeness
with any that has existed since the
civil war. He is determined that this
party shall not go into the next cam
psign In fluid condition. If Mr..
Bryan has q serious fault as a politician,
1t is his inability to yield or seem to
yield.
His personality is something phe-
nominal. He dominates every thing
about him. In this respect he unfor-
tunately resembles Mr.. Cleveland, but
unlike Mr.. Cleveland he trusts the
common sense of the common people.
Mr.. Bryan's deep religious convictions
control him in his attitude toward the
masses. He firmly believes that the
hand of God is always present in the
affairs of men, and that it is part of
the divine plan to work out every good
thing through the average mind: in
other words, through the majority.
No unprejudiced man can travel
through the various states today with
out recognizing the fact that Mr..
Bryan is much stronger and much
more firmly intrenched IN the con-
fdence of the multitude than he was
at any time during the last presiden-
tial campaign. He is the supreme,
unchallenged leader of his party. But
what has most impressed me is the
large and constantly increasing fol-
lowing he has among business men
now.
His refusal to engage in personal
attacks on the president, his decent
and dignified manner of speach and
his opposition to a national policy OF
foreign adventure seem to have broken
down the prevailing distrust among
legitimate business men. The truth
is that Mr.. Bryan is today the great
barrier against state socialism in
America Were it not for his unceas
ing labors, his open and real sym
pathy for the millions who suffer in
the shadow of remorseless corporate
greed, and his power of convincing
the desperate and dispairing that theil
cause can be won without over-turn.
ing the present order of government
state socialism would be kindled into
life.
Hundreds of thousands of men who
look with kindly eyes upon govern
ment confscation of trusts as a relief
for the present top-heavy, unequal con-
dition of the nation have been drawn
into support of the democratic party
through their belief in Mr.. Bryan't
sincerity. He bridges great gulf. So
long as the original conditions, tenden.
cies and opportunities of the republic
existed, there were no signs of socialism