Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-03
DEGENERACY OF A CANDIDATE.
Absurditfes Prominent in the Chatter
of FusiOn's MOuthDiece.

Absurdities Prominent in the Chatter
of FusiOn's MOuthDiece.
New York Sun.
Colonel Bryan is marching rapidly through
Nebraska, talking as he flies. He doesn't
seem to say very much about silver. Although
he asserts that he is faithful to the Chicago
platform and its immortal principles, he ad-
mits that the old issues can be "over-
shadowed" by new ones. So he pours forth
great streams Of words about Imperialism
and miitarism. Occasionally he lauds the
Beers. Apparently he is as anxious to
have the United States medde with other
nations affairs in South Africa as he is to
have the United States neglect it's own
business in the Philippines.
1t is an unfortunate fact that Colonel
Bryan has not added to his reputation this
year. His championship of Goebel is not
the only black mark that 1899 has made
against him. His virtual attacks upon the
treaty OF peace, which he was officious in
recommending to the support of the demo-
cratic party his description of the Spanish
war as 'causeless," although it has been the
boast of his democratic and populist sup
porters that they forced 1t upon the ad-
ministration; his attacks upon England, the
one friend of the United States during the
war, and his appeals to race prejudice; in
short, the whole stump-speech system OF
the man this fall has shown that his sense
of propriety and even OF veracity has been
degraded by his growing passion for Office
In 1896 he was profoundly disappointed, hav-
ing formed hopes worthy of his permanent
want of judgment. He seems to be en-
thusiastic now, but he has added new and
even shalower arts of demagoguery to his
equipment. In 1896 much could be par
doned to his evident ignorance and to the
1tnIi i, IL.
leap over facts. But when Colonel Bryan
quently exposed yarn about an increase in
the number of commercial failures In the
year after McKinley's election, it is imposs-
BILE to escape the conclusion that
Colonel Bryan has become shameless
In the quest Of the presidency. In his
roamings over the country he utters far
rago OF balderdash, as If everything were
good bait for votes. The real, faithful
Bryanites themselves must be panied and
scandalized or puzzled by their heros reck-
less mixture of issues. In 1896 a new
democracy was founded. Colonel Bryan
seemed to be planning still another one for
1900, with death to expansion, mlitarism
and the octopus for its platform and the
Chicago platform sunk into a mere adden-
dunn and annex. The crime of 1898 seems
to be supplanting the crime Of 1873 in the
colonel's intelectuals and sentimentals.
There is no pleasure in saying these things
about the colonel, who is a good fellow in
private life and has an amusing chatter in
public life. But his own speech betrayeth
him. He was good deal OF demagogue
in 1896. He is good deal more OF a dema-
gogue, more INSCRIPTIONS, more careless of
truth, more concentrated upon the imme-
date effect Of untenable arguments upon
what he conceyes to be the ignorance or
prejudice CT his audiences than he was in
1896. He is degenerating. Perhaps some
consciousness of the absurdity OF his cam
paign against the cameras has made him
especially averse to "militarism," but the
other absurdities and Emergencies from the
exact truth must be set down to the fury
of his longing for Office.
In prosperous Nebraska still thrilling
with pride for her soldiers and looking for
ward to the great commercial and agricul-
tural boom that expansion will bring to all
the west. the ordinary and the extraordi-
nary arguments OF the colonel will not have
much effect What he should say is: Here
| am Nebraskan. Vote for me so that
may have a chance TO be president and
the state may be honoTed thereby" II he
carries his state next month II will not
be because he Is a Nebraskan, but because
Nebraska accepts his wild and scattering
theories