Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-03-09
MR.. DRAWS CHANCES.

"
of Sunday last:
Assuming that Hon. VIM. ]. Bryan will
be the Democratic nominee this year, and
there seems little doubt of il at the present
moment, let us cast his horoscope, so lar as
that may be possible in the lights before us.
The campaign is close at hand. Within
four months boths tickets and platforms
will be before the people. We all recall
the circumstances of 1896. What will be
the situation, and what the prospects, in this
year of our Lord, 1902
Four years ago Mr.. Bryan stood for what
many regarded as propaganda of anarchy.
The silver plank In the Chicago platform
which was, unfortunately for Democrats,
made the most conspicuous and threatening
feature Of the conflict, enabled the orators
and organs OF the capitaistic combinations
of the country TO proclaim that Bryans sue.
cess meant dishonest money" "the degrade.
ton of the dollar" and the robbery of the
horny handed son of TOLL" What dreadful
pictures were drawn of the consequences
of Democratic success, 1t Is now impossible
10 adequately describe. The wreck of en-.
terprise and industry, the ruin of the poor
man, the determination Of agriculture, and
the dawn of hell born carnival-these were
only few of the grewsome prospects dan
ged before the eyes Of the ignorant and
timid voter Newspapers ranted about the
"fiftY-cent dollar" stump speakers braYed
and howled over the infamy OF paying the
laborer only half his wage. Pensioners,
persons depending upon limited annuites,
all the swarms Of the salaried, were told that
they tottered on the brink of penury. Never
was there 30 simple and so sharply defined
an issue, and never was the opportunity for
blatant and insensate outcry 80 inviting.
We all remember how II ended.
But what difference nowl The Repub
licans themselves have deliberately removed
the bugaboo of free silver from their prop
erty room. The enaction of the law fixing
the gold standard as part of our national
policy makes silver coinage impossible for
at least six years to come. No manufacture
or capitalist or great merchant or employer
need be frightened into heavy contribution
to the Republican campaign fund. Were
Bryan to be chosen President next Novem.
Der, and we're Democratic House to be
elected simultaneously, the peril Of free sill
yer, like that of free trade, would be no
nearer or more real than 1t is at this mo
ment. There would still be majority in the
Senate capable OF preventing either calamity,
and no power at the disposal OF the Execu-
tive TO overcome the obstacle. Those two
grisly Nightmares no longer throng the at
mosphere. No one outside OF nurseries and
asylums can now be frightened by these
buckram spooks.
On the other hand, what strength has the
Republican party gained TO offset this loss
of weakness by the Democracy Very little,
we fear The splendid and successful con-
duct OF the war with Spain has been sadly
clouded by the scandals Of Encouragement
and favoriusm, which attended that glorious
contamination. The course Of the admin
Philippines has lost the party many stout
and potent friends. The strange policy re-
Gently adopted toward Porto Rico has out
ragged practically the entire country. The
Hay. Pauncefote treaty has still further i'm.
paired Mr., McKlnley's prestige, and the
rumored purpose of the President to compel
its ratification will, If IL should be realized,
not only discredlt the government, but bring
contempt and odium upon the party. In
word, the situation, as 1t seems to US, is far
more favorable to Mr.. Bryan and far less 30
to Mr.. Mckinley than 1t was four years ago.
What will happen within the next six
months, 1t is not for us to prophecy. We
deal with the facts as they are at this mo-
ment. In our opinion, the Republican party
has lost ground TO an alarming extent within
the past three months. Its best friends and
ablest exponents have not been able to ex-
plain the betrayal Of our national integrity
involved in the Hay Pauncefote treaty, or
70 defend the bad faith and cruelty involved
In our treatment of Porto Rico. We say
nothing of the stupid Encouragement in
Cuba and the Philippines, the ugly and ap-
palling suspicious current with reference to
both them and Porto Rico. Having no GER
tainty, we speak no word. But we assert,
without fear of contradiction, that the ad-
ministration is daily losing strength on all
these scores, and we know, for certainty,
that thousands of men who, four years ago,
regarded Mr.. Bryan with terror and aver
sion, now consider him favorably as the
lesser of two evils