Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-15
THE PASSING OF BLAND.

Richard Parks Bland died at Lebanon,
Missouri, at 1850 this morning. His death
removes from public life a man conspicu-
Gus in the political affairs of the country.
and one upon whom the public looked
with confidence and respect. Perhaps no
man in the United States was entitled to
greater credit from the advocates of d.
metallism than Mr.. Bland. He was one
of the earliest and most persistent cham
pions of the white metal within the ranks
of the democratic party, and was the log
ical nominee Of that political organization
for the presidency, when it finally de-
cided to make free coinage its paramount
issue in 1896.
There We're few who questioned the pro-
priety of his nomination, and fewer still
perhaps who doubted that he would be
given that honor. He had worked for
silver in season and out of season, and
was by all odds it's most noted advocate
in the ranks Of the democracy. But while
Oil hti 1oI tllc cause OIL DlllGI-
allism, and a man of u%ndoubted courage
and force Of character, he lacked the
forensic ability that made Mr.. Bryan the
hero of the silver forces in the democratic
national convention at Chicago.
To be displaced by a comparatively new
man was undoubtedly a hard blow to the
sensitive old veteran of the silver cause,
but he accepted the situation philosophi-
cally and CAV Mr.. Bryan his loyal sup
democratic armament, however, the influ-
ence of Mr.. Bland within party lines be-
a to ware. Though his fnal term in
congres did not enc until last March, he
has had little to do with shaping demo-
cratic affairs since he was turned down
by the national convention in 1896. His
past career Of usefulness and fidelity to
bime-a.:ic principles, when its friends
wee fzN md far between. was apparent
y forgotten by the party he had served
so well. The fact that it was largely his
work as a pioneer in the free coinage
cause that led the democracy to accept
it as an issue in 1856, and make Mr.. BRYAN
its nominee, seems to a been lost sight
of during the past two years by the
democratic press. He was seldom quoted
tie weight in party councils, since the
leaders of that organization made up
their minds to relegate the issue of free
coinage to the rear as a subordinate
question.
Had Mr.. Bland retained the political
prestige he enjoyed prior to the Chicago
convention, it would be safe to say that
no conference of the democratic leaders
would have decided to place silver in the
background to make room for anti
trusts, anti-imperialism, or anti-any-
thing else which the events Of the hour
might suggest. But Mr.. Bland lived to
see his efforts for silver go unrewarded by
his party, and, worse yet for the proud
spirit of the veteran statesman, he lived
to see the unmistakable evidences of
democratic reaction against the princi-
pies of free coinage to which he had given
the best energies of his eventful life.
The noted Missourian will be remem-
bered as an historical Landmark in the
great fight for the remonetization Of the
white metal, and the political economist
of the future will find his name in the
archives OF those who died On duty, and
say
He suffered-but his pangs are DER:
Enjoyed-but his delights are fed;
Had friendships friends are now no mora.
foes-his foes are dead