Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-07-20

industry is active, and the people are
prosperous; yet the demand for free
coinage is reiterated with as much en-
phasis as before. 1t is quite as though
the democrats had gone on repeating
their denunciation in 1868 of the recon-
struction acts of congress as unconsti-
tutional, revolutionary, and void, after
all of the southern states had been re-
stored to the union, and most Of them
were represented in congress by demo-
crafts. 1t seems Incredible that nearly
1000 delegates could be gathered to-
gether who were capable of such folly.
But Organism also meant other
things in 1896 which were hardly less
to be dreaded than the upsetting Of our
financial system. The assault upon
the judicial system of the federal gov
eminent was in some way even more
threatening. 1t was attacked as gov
eminent by injunction" four years aso,
and that Is the only thing which is
specifically mentioned now: IN: the
reafirmation last week of the pr;n-
ciples" of 1896 covers the whole plank
in that platform which began ny de-
nouncing arbitrary interference by
federal authorities in local affairs as :
violation Of the constitution Of ...e
United States ant a crime against free
institutions" This was We'll under
stood then to be directed agains, such
use of federal power as Presiaen.
Cleveland made, with the approval al
the nation, during the Chicago riots al
1894. Its reafirmation commits Bry-
an, in case of his election, to non-inter-
ference, if another such emergency
should arise, with one of his chief ad-
mirers, an Altgeld of Illinois or a
Bloody Brides" Waite of Colorado.
sustaining as governor the forces of
anarchy.
But the candidate cunts for far
more than the platform, and the per-
sonality of Bryan stands out much
more clearly now than it did after his
nomination four years ago. He APP
peared then as the mere rhetorician,
who had by good luck leaped into ma
tional prominence, but his quality as a
man of force was still to be tested. No
doubt on this point can remain after
the convention of last week. He alb
solutely dominated mis- motely follow
ing; he forced IL to 1 into the plat
form, against the earnest opposition
of almost everybody in the gathering
who had any sense: he might have put
Towne on the ticket as vice president,
If he had not concluded that it would
be better to let the convention name a
former dimmycrat" when everything
else was populistic.
"a man who as candidate could thus
run the convention of his party would
dominate his administration if he
should be elected. There would be no
element of restraint upon him. All
OF the conservative influences have
been driven out of the party, and the
possession of power would simply whet
the radicalism of the Altgelds, the
Tillmans. the George Fred Williamses,
and other wild and reckless men who
now control the organization. There
would inevitably be a tremendous
pressure for upsetting the financial sit
uatiOn, and Bryan himself would like
nothing better than to demonstrate his
power to repeal the gold standard act.
Even without that, he could, in the
opinion OF many of our best authori-
ties, begin paying out silver instead Of
gold through his secretary of the treas
ury under the existing law, and thus
| cause at nce a tremendous financial
CONFUSION.
That the. country appreciates that
the Kansas City convention has made
Organism the issue of the campaign
is already plain. The democrats of
the old school who revolted in 1896
stand almost unitedly against the same
heresies now. The attempt to put
trusts ahead Of the old planks, and the
declaration that imperialism is to be
regarded as 'the paramount issue in
the campaign" do not deceive any,
body. People appreciate that they
have Organism to deal with, and all
over the country we see the same evil
dences of %unwavering opposition which
were manifested in 1896"
BRYAN AND PROSPERITY.
Mr. Rrxan will find il diA6oult To