The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-06


Henry Loomis Nelson in CoIlier's Weekly.
Mr.. Bryan is an enemy Of the East-at
least he has called himself SO In speaking
Of the East as "the enemy's country"
1t is a misfortune to the country that
this should be the attitude Of 4 candidate
for the presidency who has polled GJ00,000
votes. 1t Is still more unfortunate that
about 100000 of these votes canc frcm
west Of the Allegheny mountains, and
that those who cast them share Mr. 8ry-
ans enmity. Even more unfortunate f.
the fact that west of the Alleghenies and
south of the Potomac Bryan had a plural
ity of more than 100000 votes over AIcKin-
ley; so that the enemies of the East were
in a majority in the West and South, and,
while these election statistics may have
little significance so far as the coming
contest is concerned, they are worthy CT
serious consideration because of their
bearing on the future Of HE eouhtry ana
it's politics. a. l5GHs8 ,g.E
In 1896 Bryan was not taken ssari3usly
by the East. At first there was. al in
clinatlon to laugh at him, and afterward
a strong disposition to treat him as a
fearful portent. There are & g9Cd nt211y
things that, to the Eastern mind are
grotesque about this orator of the p O.
pie He does precisely what our mounte-
banks and CharlatanS do, and people in
this part of the country look upon Demo
cratic antics as tricks of the politicians
trade. When they think that an at errlpt
is being made to play upon them they re-
sent what they regard as the cheap dem
Del;
part of the world VIII not soon forgeI the
fate that sbefell a candidate for governor,
who, thinking to put himself upon a foot
ing Of friendly familiarity with an audi
ence in a Bowery beer garden, took off
his coat as he began his address to them.
We have come to regard proper ObSsrY-
ance of the conventions as an 9ccompani-
ment Of a dignifed character Fne man
who takes the trouble iands wastes the
time required to carry on ain ective con-
test against conventions ca1}fot be
great man, whatever else may Dafsaid Of
him; and 5Brydfsg rushing through the
country, pouring cut phrases and per
mitting himself TO be nIauled over by the
public, was not pleasant object to the
Eastern mind. His rise, too, was very
sudden. He had not been known IS a
Democratic leader. It was evident. il ad-
vance of it's meeting, that the Chicago
free coinage of silver at the ratio of six
teen to one, but it was supposed that the
real leader of the free-silver movement.
Richard p. Bland. would be the candidate
OF the party. There was q certain fitness
about his candidacy, and, Gisagrea with
Bland as we might, every one who knew
him respected his high character and Ills
sturdy integrity. When the aetor-ro1-
tician appeared upon the scene, the ru-
NOR that he might be the choice Of the
convention was received with incredulity,
and when he was finally nominated on the
fifth ballot, after the theatrical speech
concluding with its tawdry figure cf the
Grown of thorns' and the cross Of
gold" good many people in tbs part Of
the country laughed and concluded that
the campaign was over almost before it
had begun. But it was not. and the ele-
mental struggle in which it is an e1isode
will not be done with until the East and
the rest of the country come to q better
understanding. Not that it is purely a
sectional strife that is going on; il would
be much more accurate to call 1t a social
strife.
Bryan must be taken seriously and his
cause needed, because he is the product
of political and economic conditions still
existing in the country. He is Of, what
we are wont to call pure American stock.
meaning of families on his fathers ard
mothers side which have long been in the
country and whose ancestry is English,
the transplanting to this side of the ocean
having taken place in the seventeenth or
eighteenth century. Bryan himself,
moreover, is of pure Western origin. He
was born in Illinois, at Salem, where his
father was an honored citizen, a legis-
lator and judge. He, too. was Western
in his instincts and sympathies, and
Eryan's mother was born in Illinois.
The father was devout Baptist, a man
OF daily prayer and the mother. brought
up Methodist, became a Baptist when
she married. Bryan himself is a devout
Presbyterian.
Mr.. Bryan was born in domestic at
mosphere little known in this part of the
country-intensely pious and intensely
Democratic. The spirit that moves these
people, the enthusiasms that stir them
are like the spirit and enthusiasms of
Puritau5Sm: and their obstinate pfeju,
dices and their peculiarities of ignorance
are Puritan also. The Democracy of the
West is difficult of appreciation by an
Eastern man. II the cities and towns Of
the seaboard, Democracy has had va
riety Of meetings. Sometimes it signifies
free trade and sometimes home rule.
Once it meant opposition to the abolition,
lists and friendship for the Southern oil
garchy. What is true of the Democracy
of the East was true of the South until
the fall of the class which used to re-
joice in the designation of landed gen
try" Democracy which believes in the
rule Of the plain people has always -four
ished in its purity among the pioneers
Of the Midle West and Southwest, and
their descendants. The society in which
Bryan was born, and Of which he and
his have always been part, mean by Do.
n1ocracy trust in the people, distrust of
those whom they fancy to be oppressors
of tie people, and a strong prediction
for those who are weak and downtrodden
This human sympathy did not extend to
the blacks in the days of slavery; it was
limited to those who voted, to the strus-
CLING white men whose intelligence aid
character. as citizens. We're worthy Of
entire confidence in the eyes OF the JEFF
.fl senians, whose especial enmity was