The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-16

Imperialism rebuked at the polls and
shown to be improbable would not
have a single supporter in the country
within a month of election. Senator
Hoar could induce his noble concep-
lions of freedom and duty to definite
proposals of pacification which both
parties would accept The country hav-
ing pronounced for justice, politicians
of every shape and description will be
eager to do justice, and when the de-
sire for justice is sincere the way to JUS
tice is soon discovered.
Since the election of Mr.. Bryan is
certain to deliver the country from the
imminent peril of Imperialism, can the
liberty convention hesitate to support
him because of impalpable danger aris-
ing from his opinions on subjects with
which, as president, he cannot possibly
deal? I confess it is hard to under
stand the attitude Of those gentlemen
who would have supported him if the
convention had been silent or evasive
on the free coinage of silver, but who
hesitate to support him on a platform
which excludes that question from the
serious discussions of the contest by
relega ting it to a subordinate position.
The Democratic platform declares that
Imperialism is the paramount issue of
the campaign and Mr.. Bryan's speech
at Indianapolis accepts this conception
of the issue, emphasizes it and vindi-
Gates it. But declaration that i'm
perialfsm is a paramount issue IS
equivalent to a declaration that it is
the sole issue, for no presidential cleo
ton ever decided more than one ques-
ton. In my judgement, the platform
actually adopted by the Democratic
convention should be much more sat
isfactory to sound money men than of
the substitutes suggested by older and
more conservative managers. Since no
body pretends that Mr.. Bryan's opinion
on the questions raised by the Chicago
platform of 1896 have been changed, his
refusal to disguise them in any way IS
highly creditable to his honesty, and
honesty is the first essential of patri-
otto presidential service.
Mr.. Bryan's conversion to a belief in
sound money would, in my opinion, be
reason for national rejoicing. but any
abandonment or abasement of the
franknesS and sincerity which have al
ways distinguished him would be little
short of a national calamity We need
not accept Mr.. Bryan as an infallible or
even as a sound authority on ecOno-
mics, to acknowledge that his integrity,
his truthfulness and absolute sincerity
have been among the most Saluatory
influences of this generation on our po-
litical life. 1t is certain that this cOun-
try is indebted to him for the gold STAN
dard law, which though it has the de-
fects of it's party origin is the best
contribution to our national stability,
since the resumption of specie pay
mentS.
If the Democratic platform in 1896
had been evasive as unquestionably it
would have been If the sO-called con-
servatives had controlled the conven-
ton, can anybody doubt that the Re
publicans would have met evasion with
evasion and that the financial issue
would be still unsettled, hanging like
a sinister shadow over our industrial
system. Mr.. Bryan's frank, sincere and
unequivocal advocacy of the free coin
age of silver forced the Republican
party reluctantly to declare in favor of
the gold standard. The result was not
that which Mr.. Bryan sought; none the
less it was produced to him Because
ha Cjn0aFRIV FORCED
Republican politicians to become 1ns1n-
cerely right. To this sincerity of Mr.
Bryan the country is indebted for the
opportunity to pass sQuafely and de-
cisively upon the issue of imperialism
If the republic is to be overthrown, the
assault must now be made in the open
light of day. 1t is no longer possible
to strangle it under cover of misleading
and hypocritical phrases.
In this open fight for liberty, surely
every anti-imperialist should be ready
to bear his part. Hesitation to avail
ourselves of the leadership under which
alone opposition to Imperialism can be
made effective through distrust of the
leaders views on economic question not
now in issue, would be as senseless as
hesitation to employ a surgeon on whose
skill depended the sole prospect of life,
through dislike of his religious beliefs.
1t can hardly be necessary to say
that we who four years ago sacrificed
our political prospects and personal as
sociatiOns rather than lend even pas
sive support of silence to declaratlons
which we believed to be subversive of
order will pursue the same course again
if these same questions should ever re-
cur.
The best evidence of our capacity to
deal with the issues of 1902 or 1904, what
ever they may be, is to deal intelligently
now with the issues of 1900. On that
issue Mr. Bryan stands for justice, lib
erty and the constitution, and since all
these would be imperilled by his defeat,
it is to be hoped that the liberty con-
vention will not be swerved from sup
potring him by prejudices springing
from past antagonisms or by ground
less apprehensions of the future.
Yours very sincerely,
w. BOURKE COCHRAN,
To Edwin Burritt Smith, Esq.