The National tribune., 1900-10-25
THE ouEsr1oN roR THE VETERANS.

The question which now addresses itseli
to tens Of thousands of veterans is as tc
| whether they will allow resentment fol
private injuries and personal grievances
to carry them over to the support of that
TO which they have been antagonstic all
| their lives, and which now presents itself
in quite as offensive a form as ever.
II Mr.. Bryan represented any approach
of which President Mckinley is the head
there might he some warrant for the vet
Grams attempting 10 rebuke at the polls
| their treatment. But whatever view the
| veteran may have in his own mind in
| casting his vote for Bryan, the public at
| large will only see, and cannot be made
| to see it otherwise than as vote for
Free Silver for Free Trade, for an an
archistic debascment of our political insti-
tutions, for recrudescence of the Solid
South's viciousness, for scuttling out of
the Philippines, and abandoning all the
fruits of the war with Spain, and for all
the other National dishonors and injuries
advocated by Mr.. Bryan.
In other words, a veteran has to allow
his resentment TO Overmaster substantially
all the principles by which he has been
heretofore guided.
We earnestly submit that Mr.. Evans
and all the men like him in the present
Administration are not by any means big
enough for this. They are after all but a
very small portion, and except for the
harm they are able to do US, very in
consequential portion of the Republican
party. The Republican party has always
one kind or another, but it has always had
healthy virility enough to eliminate these,
and cure its own disorders. 1t will do
so in this case. Mr.. Evans is at best only
hanging on to the hem of the party's
skirts. He was overwhelmingly turned
down by the party in his own State, and
when he tried to incite a revolt against the
party National Chairman Mark Hanna
called upon "all good, loyal Republicans"
to discountenance and oppose him. Are
we going to allow the misdoings Of such
a man, and others like him, drive us from
the position and the associations we have
always maintained since we began to
think and act for themselves?
1t would be rank folly to do so. 1t
would be giving him and them vastly more
Importance than they deserve. 1t is only
g question of time when Mr.. Evans and |
his ilk will go the way that many other
disturbers of the peace and dignity, the
strength and efficiency of the Republican |
party have gone. We can fsr better trust |
ourselves, and the friends and associates |
with whom We have always worked, and |
who are now working hard for reelection |
of VIM. Mckinley to get rid of Evansism
and do us justice than we can trust the |
men gathered about Mr.. Bryan. On the |
high and lofty grounds of patriotism, we
can only view with the greatest alarm
the prospect of the country being turned
over to the men and the purposes which
Mr.. Bryan represents. We cannot con-
sent to become accomplices in this, no
matter what the consequences may be to
ourselves. NJ. Bryan could, not bribe US
% vote for his so-called principles by any
personal inducement he could offer. We
ire too used to sacrificing our own inter
ests for those of the country, to entertain
such proposition.
But on the lower grounds of self-inter-
,st we have absolutely nothing to hope for
rom Mr.. Bryan. Not for an instant will
le or any of his kind regard a vote cast
or him as Influenced by pension, or vet
rams preference considerations. He will
'nly think Of it as a vote for Free Silver,
tic.
It is no new thing for the men gath
,red around him, and who, if he is elect
ID, will shape his policy, TO think and
'ay ''the old soldier is played out" They
nave been doing that ever since we came
home, and they have been most
earnest wishers for the time when old
lge and death would take US out of their
way. We have fought them too CON
'tantly and strenuously for them to have
my love for US. They owe us too many
iefeats for them to be otherwise than
ylad Of an opportunity to get rid of us in
he most effective manner possible They
will be even emboldened to do much worse
than they have ever done, by Evans's
,ourse, and will try to surpass him.
We have absolutely not a friend in Mr..
Bryan's camp, and no reason for expect
ng one among men so diametrically op-
posed to everything we have held vital to
he country's best interests.