The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-26

to be in touch with thought through
out the country. however, and he gath
ers in Bryan adherents in every state
| and territory OF the Union. The only
trouble with his statement is that 1t is
| not backed up with any fortifying
proof
| For instance. Mr.. Croker remarks
that the Democratic party will gain
strength everywhere in every state.
This might go as a bluff. but ii will
hardly appeal to anyone who is ae-
| quainted with political conditions in
| the West where Bryan has shown his
greatest strength. II Is conceded that
he will lose the single electoral vote
which he gained in California in 1886.
The fusion overthrow OF 1898 in Wash
ington and the strength of the expan-
sion sentiment make 1t certain that
this state will be Overwhelmingly for
| Mckinley in November. Organism has
experienced a serious decline in Colo
RADIO, and II 1t were not for the per-
sonality and perversity OF Senator Tel
Ter that state would now be back In the
Republican column. AS II Is. only the
strongest kind of fusion will hold It
true to Bryan this fall. Populism has
been on the decline in Kansas for sew
eral years and there is every reason TO
believe that the state will give hand
some Republican plurality this year.
South Dakota, which went for Bryan
four years ago, has returned to the old
for Mckinley and Roosevelt. Here are
fifteen electoral votes which Mr. Bryan
is certain to lose and OF which Boss
Croker with his jaunty assurance takes
no account whatsoever.
1t is doubtful If Cookers profound
utterances on the silver question will
be sufficient to bring that issue to the
front again. but they are well worth
reading and show how deeply the big
Tammanyite must have plunged into
the mysteries OF finance ~ have not
been able to find any calamity in free
silver" he says. Everybody favors
the double standard and the Democrat
ic party Is not going to split on a
question of ratio. Sixteen to one APP
pears to be the right standard although
silver varies at times In value That
seems to be the only question about
silver" This is the observation of a
student and there Is nothing superb
cial about 1t. But Mr. Croker leaves
out good deal which people would
like to have heard. He says he has
not been able to find any calamity in
free silver. but he does not tell where
he has prosecuted his search. II Ia a
pity that he did not disclose where In
his hunt he found that free silver had
brought prosperity and contentment.
Then, too. his statement that sixteen
TO one appears to be the right ratio il
not as strongly supported by fact as 1t
might be. He ought to have explained
how he arrived at this conclusion.
when the commercial ratio of gold and
silver is In the neighborhood OF thirty
to one. There Is a suspicion that the
sixteen to one ratio appears to him to
BE the correct one merely because ,ha
wild convention of 1896 declared I, to
be such.
The statement that Bryan's election
will bring great prosperity to the conn
try and equal rights to all Is somewhat
hackneyed. In view of the dreadful
apprehension felt In 1896 when there
seemed TO be a possibility of his elec-
ton something more than bald asser-
ton Of Tammany boss will be needed
TO remove the feeling OF distrust which
Bryan's candidacy creates. 1t Is diff
cult to see how prosperity would fol-
low the election TO the presidency Of
man who believes in everything that
Is mlschievous, and the American peo-
pie are not going to make the expert
ment merely on the assurances of a
man like Croker The boss may be 4
success when II comes to running Tam
many. manipulating municipal con-
tracts, standing in with the ice trust
and following the races of Eu
rope and America; but when he at
tempts 10 play the role of sage in ma
tional politics he Is getting beyond his
depth.
Last month the United States sal1
silS.ooo.ooo worth OF goods in foreign
4 ra.nfs rltrr.cina 81 -, 49,, ~.