The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-08

majorities when prior to 1896 the House
was most of the time Democratic
MAN AND MEASURES
'eI'here must be Il cause for all this. and
it is found in the man and the measures
our people have advocated 1t Is all due
to M Bryan. free silver and Populism.
NJ Bryan is q man of singular purity OF
character great eIoquence and wonderful
magnetism, but he lacks one quality OF q
leader. and that is judgment If he has
suffered a worse defeat in 1900 than he did
in 1896 is was simply because he has been
convicted Of error out OF his own mouth
In 1886 he was 50 sure he understood the
question of currency that he veutured to
make prophecies OF the calamities that
would happen If free silver was not
adopted. He made these prophecies in his
speeches and afterwartl published them in
HE book called The First Battle II hl'
arguments were sound. his prophecies, of
course, would come true He said. for in
stance, that II the gold standard was con-
tinued wheat would so down. but wheat
went up; ne said that corn and oats would
go down. but corn and oats went up; he
said that provisions OF all kinds would so
down. but provisions went up. Now, Mr..
Bryan's State, Nebraska, OF course, felt
very kindly toward him. He had every
advantag e-State pride was helping him,
and he had combined the Popuiists. the
free silver Republicans and the Democrats
into one party which was called the Flu
sioniSts. Certainly he ought to have won It
there was any truth in his contentious.
But the hardheaded farmers OF Nebraska
who had given him their electoral votes
in 1895, comparing now Mr.. Bryan'S proph-
ecies with the facts. came to the conclu-
sion that while their felloW-CitiZen was a
brilliant ta!ker. he did not know what he
was talking about: that he was an unsafe
leader, ana so they voted against him in
the recent election.
AFRAID OF HIM
Our Southern people are in precisely
the same situation as the Ncoraskn farm
ers. We make cotton, ana cotton has gone
up. instead of down, as Mr.. Bryan sad it
would. We manufacture cotton and iron,
and our country is now in a prosperous
condition relatively, Mr.. Bryan's prophe-
ctes to the contrary Notwithstanding.
The farmers and business men OF the
North after having Mr.. Bryan ami MS
prophecies before them for four years,
took h..s measure aud concluded they were
afraid to trust him with power and that
IS what the election means
Mr.. Bryan was right on the question
OF trusts, though IN some of MS speeches
he may hive gone so far as To frighten
all property holders. No party can afford
to attack all corporations CORPORATE in
du.stry within legitimate lines, has helped
wonderfully to develop our country. We
want corporations in the South TO nanu-
facture, cotton and iron, build up railroads
and other industries. and these Should o.
encourag ed: but we do want legislation d
Washington and n the States that Will
tend to protect us against trusts: that IS
to say, against those aggregate OF cor
por,,tons which are intended TO nono2o-
lie and raise az viii the prices o. products
IF we had put sound none,f conser-
yatiYe man, on a conservative and anti
trust platform, we would have won an
Overwhelming victory. But Mr. Bryan,
weighted down with free silver and Pop
uism. was beaten from the stnrt.
@. what do you think of the idea re-
Gently ag.tateG of the reorganization OF
the Democratic party?
! Amy attempt on the part OF Goia
Democratic leaders, even with SILVER Dem
ocratic leaders aiding. to meet and forrnu-
late issues now would. in my opinion, oe
a failure TIE party is already organized:
! it has its executive committees, State ana
national: nobody can displace them, eN-
cept the voters when met in conventions,
we want no fights now for leadership. ana
we want nobody driven out or the parry
What is wanted is to bring back the par
", to sound principles and bring oacA
those hundreds of thousands OF De!to
Gratis and Democratic sympathlZers III .ile
Northern States who have been dEl'sH
away from US by free silver and PopuilSih.
.Populism is really Socialism It mas
no distinctive features other tnan soS'at
istic. except the very impratlcaoks propo-
sition of the referendum, which as I'M
derstand it, means that every iihpo. s az
hill must be referred back to the E5opie
to be voted upon before it becomes law
and this is a denial o: the very foundation
idea OF our republic. which Is imosho.c
IN Federal and State Constitution
namely. that the people can be trusted 70
select men who have sufficient aoiii.s ~
make laws.