Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-08-24
Shallow Sincerity. al Best.

concerning Mr.. Bryan, more frequently
in forcing himself together with the
Chicago platform on the Democratic
party. Now the Journal is not dis
posed to attempt any abuse Of Mr.. Bry-
an. in fact, ii is often better to let the
public discover for itself the faults in
your opponent than to dwell on them
yourself.
II is not. however, nor was ii four
years ago, a question of Mr.. Bryan
good qualities as a neighbor and pri-
vate citizen. So far as we know he
may be an exemplary husband and
father, a kind neighbor, a generous
friend. We trust he is. We cannot.
however. avoid the conclusion that he
Is very dangerous man in the public
role he is playing. Moreover we can
| aware of this.
| True, he doubtless does not appre-
ciate the fun extent of the mischief
inextricably intermingled with his
political ambitions. But evidence of "A
| theatrical vanity, shallow thinking,
constituencies and irresponsible use of
an unusual capability for demagogism
that has given him the power he has
are sticking out of every important
| -. in, 10 on
reer. Such a man. were his intentions
Of the best, would be literally incapable
of any but shallow sincerity.
At the very time he was so insistent
on retaining the free silver plank in
| the Democratic platform, the course Of
events had demonstrated beyond cavil
that the extreme arguments he had
| made. the awful calamities he had pre-
dicted in the preceding presidential
campaign We're. to speak as mildly as
possible. fallacious, tictions Of the i'm
agination, indicative of illogical, imma-
ture thought and unbalanced judgment
Yet some said he was at least consist
ent. That sort of consistency was not
jewel to wear proudly displayed by
a profound thinker, We contend. But
, let that go.
What does Bryan 90 when he has
committed his party to his own errors
! and fallacies, again shouldered them
upon it? He turns his attention to
batting another class of voters into
voting for him. He drops free silve-
and the supreme court issues, which he
knows the most of them dislike and
| fear. and holds forth 10 them unbound
/ ed promise to do their will with the
4 Philippines. \ keener observer, a wiser
man would have hesitated to thus swap
| horses in the middle of Il stream;
would. it seems to US have foreseen
that after the gloss might be worn
facts would present prickly and I'M
inviting appearance. In the first place
to do all that he would have the So
called anti-imperialists believe he
would he must either exercise the auto
cratic imperial power of a Car or he
! must have a congress to support him.
he gets a congress to support him
in this. it must in the very nature of
| things, be one to support him in tam
pering with the supreme court and in
shaking the financial confidence Of this
, country to a terrible fall.
But we have Yet to come to the worst
| feature of his utterances on the Phil
ippine question. Not from opening to
closing phrase of all his glittering
string Of phrases was there advice to
the Filipinos 10 trust to the people of
this country to do right, as Bryan as
sumes himself to trust them. on the
contrary there was burning incentive
to every Philippine adventurer zealot,
misguided patriot, if you will. almost
at his last gasp, to hold out a little
longer, to fight on till after the election.
| If Bryan had in mind the welfare of
that people or his own, why did he not
| tnlnK OF TINS, ana IL 50 why dld ne say
what he did? Surely it can in no way.
| whether Bryan wins or whether he
fails, help the Filipinos to longer fight,
while on the other hand it means that
many more Of our soldiers must be
shot down For a man seeking the
confidence Of this great nation, ask
ing to be entrusted with its chief ex-
| ecutive power Bryan assumed an awful
responsibility, such a responsibility as
no truly great man, statesman, wise
patriot, would have incurred
The brave General Lawton did not
| assume to be a statesman, only sol
der, whose profession is war; he never
made any pretenCe about having the
| welfare of humanity closer to his heart
than his own; he was, if we mistake
not, Of the same political party that
! Bryan processes is his: above all, he
| knew, as Bryan does not what he was
talking about. Contrast the simple