The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-07-28
TICKETS CONTRASTED.
Mckinley and Roosevelt--Bryan and
Stevenson.
From The New YORK Journal.

When he thought silver popular he was
free silver man. He voted for free coin
age along with Bland when Bryan was
how at school Later he criticised the
Democratic party for not doing enough for
silver and told how much more the Re
publicans would do if they were entrusted
with power. In the Republican conven-
ton four years ago he was afraid to have
the word ''gold mentioned. Now he Is
a partisan of the absolute, unmltlgated,
single gold standard.
In Congress, when he had no offices to
distribute, Mr.. Mckinley was an ardent
civil service reformer. He became Gov
ernor of Ohio and turned over the helpless
mnatics in the insane asylums, and the IN
mates of all the other State charitable m
situations, TO the tender mercles OF the
spoilsmen. When he was candidate Tor
President the first time he promised that
he would take mo step backward IN the
matter of civil service reform. When he
took Office he bec1me the first President
to take backward step since the reform
was first instituted under Arthur, fourteen
years before. J.,
President Mckinley said that We could
never be guilty of criminal aggression,
and then he began aud carried on an IN
necessary war in the Philippines,
He said that it was our PLAIN Du-
TY'' to give the Porto Rican free adm!s-
sion TO our markets, and then he not only
accepted but actually forced through Con
gress bill levying heavy taxes both ways
on Porto Rican trade.
He promised pure government to our
dependencies, and he filed the public ser
vice in Cuba with thieves.
All these inconsistencies have a single
cause-Mr. Mckinley is not his own mas
ter. He speaks from the good impulses
Of his heart, and then he does what he Is
told to do. Ii is impossible even to imaS
inc William Mckinley making such a
stand for his principles against the pres
sure of party leaders as William }. Bryan
has made this week When we elect
Mckinley to Office, therefore, hls words
furnish us no elew whatever to his proba 2
bic course after he gets into power To
know what he is going To do We must know
the man who for the time being, + run /
ning" MIN. In this ease It i Marx
Hanna.
William j. Bryan is the very antithesis
of his opponent No man has had more
virnlent or more unscruplous enemies; 20
man has been more outrageously misTep-
sented no man has had his character
oninions and conduct more distorted and
caricatured, but in all the whirlpool OF
detraction that has surged about him no
body has ventured to suggest that Mr..
Bryan is owned BY anybody but William
j Bryan.
He takes orders from no Hanna. He
does not have TO cali anybody into consul
tation to find out what he thinks. His
convictions. based on his own matured
study, are his own property, aud when he
has once formed them no power on earth
can induce him to give them up, or m"di-
fy them. or hide them under mask
The country is coming to know and ad-
mire that splendid stubboruess Of Mr.
BRYAN $. The Democrats who did not
agree with him on the silver question, an
noyed as they were with what seemed to
them an unnecessary sacrifice Of political
strength, are beginning TO be glad that
they have had that revelation OF unoon-
duerable infexable conviction While 1t
is against them ON the point, It gives them
confidence that upon the other points on
which they aud the candidate agree they
will not be betrayed They have been
looking for man who woald display on
the side Of the people that same immcv-
able obstinaey that Cleveland displayed on
behalf Of the privileged classes, and they
have found him Il is this feeling that
inspires a gold Democrat 10 write to the
Mugwump Evening Post
Another term Of Mckinley, involving
the Endorsement Of the almost unbrokeH
record of bad faith which has character
lied nearly all the acts Of his Administsa-
ton. would be about as bad commentary
on popular government n could be mag
ined But would Dot the cause Of popular
government suffer still more should the
party which has taken up the task Of re
viying the Declaration Of Independence
and our old fashioned views Of national
honor be betrayed BY It's candidate! In
the present crisis signs Of surrender by that
candidate to bosses or TO moneyed inter
ests, or the exhibition by him OF any of
the marks of the 'quitter, would be
very disquieting to many gold Democrat.
What we need in the Presidency now
above all other things IS an honest man
not merely one who is above picking pock
cts himself. but one whose honesty is az
gressive-one who viii not tolerate Neelys
and Rathbones under him or Hannas over
him, and whose honesty extends not mere
" TO matters of money, but to matters Of
principle.
We know that il William J Bryan said
that anything was our plain duty he
would shut that steeltTap jaw Of his and
keep Congress in session until that duty
was performed or the Congressional term
expired, If an organ told him that this
action would cost him three million votes
of growers of filler tobacco and garden
sass. he would tell it that the people
could elect another President if they chose,
but that fifteen million voters could not
make him do thing he Thought wrong.
That is comfortable sort of person to
lean ON 10 a national crisis. With hurri
cane Signals flying in China, even gold
Democrats would like to feel that they had
such nickel-steel, Kruppized will to
trust in.
So much for the heads of the tickets.
The contrast between the candidates fot
second place is Of different nature, bur
equally striking.
Grave as are Mckinley faults, if he
and Roosevelt should be elected every pa
triot would offer up daily prayers for the
health of Mckinley. The accession Of
Theodore Roosevelt to the Presidency
would be public calamity, Impetuous
as the German Emperor, his impetuosity
is not guided by the Kaiser trained in
telligenee. His continual breaks,
merely annoying or amusing in the posi-
tons he has held heretofore, would be
disastrous in President. Before his term
was year old he would be likely TO have
us at war with half the powers of the