The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-18
i SUNDAY, MARCH is, 1900.
sHaLL IT CONF 10 THIS?

q dispatch from Washington to the
baltimore Sun represents that great an
aerest is being manifested there in q re-
mort that Grover Cleveland is going. very
shortly, to announce that he Will sup
mort Mr.. VIM. j. Bryan for the Presiden-
CIV. The dispatch goes on to say that very
u1any of the Gold Standard Democrats
are talting the position that, as the plii
establishing the gold standard IS now a
law, silver is. IN fact, eliminated as a
,,olitgcaa issue, and that there IS, there
fore. no longer amy reason why the Demo
Gratis who split off from the party IN
1896 should longer remain separated
from it.
IL would be most gratifying TO The
Times df the Kansas City ConVention
would adopt a platform upon which all
true Democrats could stand, but we 40
mot see how any Eeif-respecting Goio
Democrat can support William j. BRYAN
standing ON the Chicago platform OIL
1896. If 1t was right to refuse to support
Rryan and the Chicago platform in 1s9t,
st must be right to refuse in 1900 Prlncl-
g,lcs do not change.
On the very day VIC read this dispatch
in the Baltimore Sun we met with tne
following most admirable editorial nrfl-
Gle in the Indianapolis News, which dis.
cusses the subject so trcnchantly, thou:sn
called out by some other event, that we
reproduce it in fun here, as follows:
q .sIhere can writes Seneca, 'be no hap
rolness without consistency and prudence
Tor a wise man is TO write without n, DOL
and what he likes once he approves lot
ever: he admits Of nothing that is e,lher
evil or slippery: but marches WalhouA
sta :gerinE or stumbling, and is never sur
prisea: he lives always true and steady 10
himself Though the Roman philosopher
docs not identify constancy With COURAGE,
he does show that they are close or if1n,
and that they are both the product OF
true wisdom But we do not need to mo-
neal to the philosophers In support OF the
statement that a constant man must cf
necessity he a courageous one.
It may almost be said that the first
and most tmportant quality in a public
servant, or, indeed, In n citizen living I'M
der a free government. is the ability to de-
eide on "a, given course of action. and
having decided. TO stand by it against all
opDos!tion. Such one Will admit '0f
nothing that is either evil or slippery.
4 will march without staggering or STUN
bling and. will ever be true and steady
to himself And this is civicA courage.
We am lznpw st when we see it,A and we
all honor II. The man without It may be
pitsed, rather than despised, but ne IS
never 3oved or trusted.
There have been many men in high pace
who We're markedly deficient In this great
quality One OF the most notable was =
Observation-Disclosures and contemporary OF
Seneca-Pontius plate. The story OF h 8
weakness and vacillation. OF his Heading,
with, the people for leave to render
righteous judgment, of his conds mnatinn
OF enc whom he himself admitted to be
without fault Of his washing his hands in
the sight OF all the people to show that he
had no part IN the crime. and finally of
his coward1y attempt to throw the re
spcnsibilitS on those by whom he had al
lowed himself 10 be coerced, IS typical
Of course 1t Is the interest truism TO ia =
that no nation can long survive in which
s this great quality Of civic courage be-
comes extinct. Indeed. towards are dead
while they live. Tor they die many
deaths Cowardsce and q want of con-
Stacy betolaen a want of mastery over
SELL. -AIlN Inc IITa1l NltiiuuA &'da4iiot
be -asa,e and steady 10 himself It Is tn-
fii,iteay to the credit OF the American peo-
/ pie that they admire man with nerve
and pluck. We see this shown by the'I
respect for man who viii not back dswn
as well as by their contempt for a -auit-
ter, Andrew jackson, Gen. Grant, aac
Grover Cleveland are popular faror!tes
because. though they had their faults
they were at least not afraid. And thai
& IS much. asss;
The human heart has always been re.
sponslve to this influence. the man Ms't
a!vcs his own life. does his own work
needs his own conscience. and RESPECT.
his own Individuality Is the one TO whom
the people instincs lively turn in the hour:
pf trial. They are a asvn By his wisdom
ana evident moral quality. Confidence
naturally goes out TO one who trusts him
aeN and who tells the truth. The ours
i pronounced on the Nayerer and waop!e''
~ az oM as Genesis - unstable as water
ad,ou IN ait not excel. Z The word IS true
rho man who wins In the high and mob.
4 sense ID 81 s ta,c ore who hears the spoic.
74.5