The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-01-28
BRYAN'S LOCKJAW GONE.
The Megaphonic MOuthpiece O
Cheap Moneyites Is Again in
Working Order.

Col. Bryan could not wait for the ac-
ccptance of his resignation before un.
bottling his pent-up opposition to that
inevitable result of the war, expansion.
The same day that he forwarded his
resignation by wire he gave out an ex-
tended interview in the strain of Bailey
Cleveland. Hoar and Vest.
Not the least significant feature OF
this interview is the avoidance of all
reference to silver or the financia, ques-
ticn in any form. Evidently Mr.. Bryan,
in his character of boy orator, has a new
toy. and wants to play with II. This is
not the first time he has shown the
fckleness of his nature. He came into
considerable prominence originally as
free trader. For two years CT so he
toyed with that hobby, riding it on ali
possible occasions, often when it was
clear disregard of the propricties to
do so. Then suddenly, the election Of
1894 over, he dropped free trade and
mounted the free silver hobby. So vio-
lent and persistent was his rocking that
he was nominated for president on that
issue. Judging from his antecedents,
It is abou, time for him to make a
change. He cannot be everything in
turn, but he may be expected to be moth
ing long.
Perhaps an element of jealousy enters
into Mr. Bryan's Impotence to recover
from what he has called military lock-
jaw" Another young Lochinvar has
come out of the west in eager rivalry
Congressman Bailey. of Texas. This
rival is we'll to the front as tie leader
of anti-expansion. There is no small
danger that Bailey will be "the logical
candidate" of the democracy in 1900. as
Bryan was in 1896. 1t is not case of a
few rails down or boards off the Bryan
fence, but of new field altogether,
with the Nebraskan not so much as
within the Enclosure.
Nor is Mr.. Bailey the only possible
candidate to be feared. EX-Pl esident
Cleveland has shown some signs OF
life. He is as pronounced, if not as
loud, as Bailey in depreciation of ma
tional growth in area. Cleve!and's in
tcrview on the subject started the
rumor that he was being groomed for
still fourth presidential race. 1t IS
not surprising that between the two
Col. Bryan is alarmed.
But the great mistake of Bryan was
in trying to beat Bailey and Cleveland
at their own game. He should have al
lowed them to go on hanging them
selves with their own rope. Never was
there a more unpopular cry than anti
expansion. Mr.. Bryan should have
taken a leaf from the political history
o. century ago. AT that time John
Adams was president, and might easily
have had a second term. But he was
deaf and blind to public sentiment, and
put himself as completely outside the
limits Of presidential candidacy as Bal
ley and Cleveland have done. If Mr..
jefferson had been a politician of the
Bryan type he would have shared tina
fate of Adams. But he was level headed.
Instead of trying to out-Adams Ad.
ans, he put himself line with popular
sentiment. The democratic party Of
to-day is in great danger of sharing the
fate of the federal party, and If Bryan
had set himself the task of its rescue he
would have fairly earned the honorable
distinction of leader of the Jeffersonian
democracy. AS ii is. he simply tags on
behind the John Adamses of his party.
Chicago Inter Ocean.