Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-06-08
THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1899.
WHY BE PERVERsE2

II will be remembered that the CHIEF
and only reason a great many persons
gave in 1896 for their support of Mr.
BRYAN and free silver was the bad business
conditions that prevailed, and the attend
ant "hard times" A great many men
honestly believed that those conditions
had been caused by the discontinuance OF
the free coinage of silver and the general
policy of the Republican party while In
control of the government. With that
belief strong in their minds, it was natural
and right they should give their earnest
support to Mr.. Bryan and the cause OF
free silver. For honest men, with such
opinions, to have pursued any other
course would have been unwise and IN
patriotic. If such men have reason now
to think that the position of the Demo
Gratis in 1895 was a mistake, they should
be honest enough to admit it, and be no
longer influenced by the wild theories #
Bryan and other Democratic leaders Of
Populstic tendencies.
The results that have followed the
defeat of Mr.. Bryan and the restoration OF
the Republican party TO power have prov
ed most conclusively that the judgment
of the advocates of the free and unlimited
coinage of silver was not sound. AS was
predicted by the Republicans, who con-
troverted the views of Mr.. Bryan and his
followers in every particular, the triumph
of sound money and the return TO pro-
tective tariff have been followed not only
by discontinuance of business depression
but higher degree of prosperity in all
classes of business than has been known
in our country for more than a quarter Of
century. The continual complaint of q
scarcity of money, that was heard previous
10 the election of Mckinley, is heard no
longer. The prosperity which the honest
supporters of Mr.. Bryan wereso anxious
10 have come, is here. What reason,
ten, is there for sincere men to longer
contend for and follow theories that have
been proven by experience 10 be false?
We have the effect, and what sense is there
in obstinately doubling the cause? You
were told that the success of Mckinley
and the gold standard would bring disas-
ter, but the very opposite has come.
You have secured precisely what you
wanted and what Mr.. Bryan claimed to be
battling Tor. Manufacturers, farmers,
workingmen and business men of all class-
es cannot be but pleased with existing con-
ditions. 1t is now plain that Mr.. Bryan
will have TO conjure up new issues for the
campaign of 1900, or enter upon hopeless
fight for the presidency. When he or his
friends consent TO abandon free silver as
the paramount issue it will be an admis-
sion that the issue no longer possesses
strength, because it was and is false
issue. Again, we ask why will honest, con-
scientious men be so perverse? When
they seek thing through certain means
and fail to secure it, but get it through
other means, why should they not be con
tented? Can anything be more foolish
than the effort of Mr.. Bryan and his
followers to hunt for some new plan to
bring TO the people the very things they
are now enjoying? 1t is strange that men
will be sensible in other things and yet
impractical in politics. But it is lamen-
table fact that prejudice too often infu-
ences men in politics, rather than reason.
This is especially true at the South. In
this section of the Union the policy of the
Republican party is bringing about won
derful industrial development, and the
future ofthe south will be brighter than that
Of any other part of the country, unless it
becomes clouded by a return of free trade
and the debasing Of our money.