Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-03-30
TWELVE PAGES
THURSDAY, MARCH 90, 1899.
IS MIR. BRYAN A PRoFANERe

"The lnklngo Of the Lords supper with
q political banquet, rs was done by MT,
Bryan in n speech NJ Birmingham yes
terday, will CRATE upon tie nerves of
nll those who have 4 respect Tor things
that are holy ii it Was no sacrileSe,
1t was horrible taste and Will stand to
MIR. Bryans lasting discredit. He has
made just one speech too many. =
Charlotte Observer.
what the Lords Supper is to n
Christian, so a Jefferson banquet is to a
Democrat
For the same reason that good
Christian would revolt ut having the
sacrament presided over by an inndel,
for the same rAisOn ! would object 10
being present ~ a Jefferson banquet
presided oyer by Perry Belmont. THE
Hon. William j. Bryan, in recent in
terView.
Setting aside ali questions of polit-
cal opinion. ana speaking in an abso-
lutely general Nay, we io not see how
anyone with proper reverence for sn-
cred things, even though he be not .
profcssed CHRISTIAN can fail 20 be
shocked ut tho remai-iHble comparison
which Mr.. Bryan has made IN his cf
fort 10 be origranwatic. The man
that can dyac the Lords Supper into a
controversy cOnNeeled with q political
banquet must have . very imperfect
realization Of the respect that is due to
divine suhjeets Mir. Rryan's greatest
admirers are dumb with ACCOMPLISHMENT
ut this semi OlpsphemY Whicb they
cannot attempt to defend. The silver
champion would az we'll 20 select his
"bon nots' with greater care for the
solemnlty of the relations between God
md man Norfolk Landmark.
Now what is there in the language
used by Mr. Bryan that iustIdes these
solemn NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. pronounced
with all the gravity OF the sanhedrlm?
Small success has attended the efforts
of Mr.. Bryan's political adversorles to
refute his logic heard and read SO fire.
quently in the late memorable cam
paign. Scoffeys might mock ut the rhe,-
orical methods OF him whom they de-
lighted to call the Roy Orator Of The
Platte" and seek 10 rldicule what they
would fain say was crude ana sophomo-
ric in his style ana expression. But
the keen, dexteroua logic of Bryan. the
debater. was approved too often by the
judgment of his hearers on tho hus-
tings and in the halls OF legislation 10
be whistled down The wind Ills opin-
ions became the opinions of the bulk
OF the American public. for 1t is fact
that a majority OF the white people of
the United States were his disciples.
and voted to support his views of the
economic issues of the day.
His private character is irreproacha-
BILE. Neither envy nor malice has yet
been able 10 besmirch his escutcheon.
But certain OF the "Unco guild" have
been completely Mortified by Mr.. Bry-
ans SMILES and metaphors He has
been held up to censure as an icono-
clast. He has been roundly rated for
what his monitors declare to be his
sacrilege and irreverence towards
things sacred An example of this spe.
cies OF criticism is cited at the head
OF this article.
We say nothing as to the divergence
between the views of w. J. Bryan and
those of Perry Belmont. nor as to tho
merits Of their mutual observations
Mr.. Bryan states that the celebration NJ
the birthday of Thomas jefferson &c n
q Democrat what the Lords Supper is
10 plous Christian Nothing more
nothing less. He might have said To
illustrate the Importance Of this ami
versary to a sincere Democrat, that +;
was to him what the Feast of the Pass
over was to the ancient jew, what the
Hegira is to the devout Moslem, or as
for that matter. what the anniversary
OF the death of Charles the Second was
to an ardent Jacobite. No one can i'm
ngine that Mr.. Bryan meant to asslmi-