The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-31

4 T. -
gurated by Mark Hanna and William Nc
kinney. From the words he uses in re-
Sard To the trust problem we infer that
ne recognizes lis Importance net to the
! american people, but to those who are in.
!eres1eds IN the trusts. He admits the ex-
isleace OF trusts, and when he speaks OF
the Importance OF the trust problem. ii
| he means hy. Importance its menace 10 ti1e
people. hoWAean he expect the Republican
party 10 deal with this problem when
/ MT. Hanna who is the rnouthpfece of
I the party, says there are no trusts?
we are tod that 1.-THE dangers which
may eEentuate from trusts and so-cailed
| imperialism are remote-months and years
away. 10 any one of an unprecedented
! mind it's apparent that the dangers from
these two evils are not remote, but are
| already upon US. There are none SO blind
| as those who VIII not see.''
Mr.. Editor. | have always hitherto re-
| garded the people of the South as the con-
! servative element in our national life,
| because her men preferred principe to
| mainmoH, and were always animated oy
| nobler purposes and high ideals. II IS Il
| source of deep regret to me to see our
! young men of the South becoming in
| fected witt, Nothern IDEAS and influenced
| by their ideals. The Northern conscience
| has ever worshipped at the shrine OF the
| golden calf, and they hold money in higher
! esteem than principle, and more precious
| than human blood.
In this contest one of two men will De
| President of the, United States Either
| Mckinley, the creature of Mark Hanna,
weak yacillatng. who has besn on all
sides. OF every. issue, who stands with no.
| consistency for anything, or it will be
| Bryan, the man of convictions. who stands
! for principles, for human rights. for lib
| erty, whose position IS known upon all pub
| Tic questions, and who calls no man mas
| ter. Mr. Williams may vote for the crea
| ture Of Hanna. That is his right, but as
| for me, in the light of the character of
| the two men and the issues that confront
| US / prefer Mr.. Bryan
! If I am wrong in my position, and Mr..
| Williams is right, | have the conscious
| satisfaction of knowing that am In good
| company.
Mr.. William tells us that his views Of
| the candidates and Importance OF the
| issues are held by all three OF the living
! Democratic ex-Governors of Virginia
| Mine are held in common With men OF
Lno less prominence and influence in our
! nation than Richard Olney, Bourke
| Cochran, Judson Harmon, David b nnett
| Hill, and hundreds of others of like char
acter and ability. including many dis
tinguished Republicans, whose consc CHS
| nave recolted from the support OF
| the Mckinley Administration III this' our
/ national crises
Mr.. Williams intimates that Mr. Bryan
| is a dangerous man. totally lacking in
| conservatism, and would resort to any
| trick TO put this country upon silver
| basis.
| am content to let Arson Phelps Stokes
| and David Bennett Hill answer the
| charge. They both spoke with Mr..
! Bryan to the Democratic Clubs IN Ne"
] York CITY Saturday. Mr.. Stokes says:
But it is said that Mr.. Bryan IS an
| anarchist. How absured this charge
| against one whose constant appeal is TO
i the Constitution, to the statutes ana TO
| the moral law. Has our candidate ever
| shown any disposition to take advantage
| of any loop-hole in the law, TO do an I'M
| fair act? His record shows him man
| who if he s;wore to his own hurt would
| change not; who has refused to sacrifice
| principle to exned;ency. He viii never
| be found engaging in underhand tricks,
| to carry out his personal views.
| Senator Hill said: 4 would not be mere
| advocating the election of MI. Bryan if
did sot believe that he twou d
| give the country safe and con-
| servativa administration. L am alb
| so!utely sure that he would do so. Our
| opponents seek to create the impression
| that some danger TO business interest
is involved in a Democratic triumph, and
I this effort seems to constitute. their Who!e
| stock in trade.
| I think that as time rolls on Mr.. Will
| liams will discover that his unwarranted
| and uncaIled for sings at Mr.. Bryan ana
| the Democratic party will do him more
| harm than they will Mr.. Bryan or the
| Democratic party. I regard character as
! of much Importance to a nation as 20 an
individual. Destroy the character of an
| Individual and what becomes OF his
! career and hopes for the future?
| so with a nation # she violates fun
/ damental moral principles. tramples un-
! der foot the laws of justice and the lIper-
| ties of other people, and sets at nousht
!, the dictates of humanity the time VIII
/ surely come when she will have to pay
! the penalty for her wrongs and oppreS-
| sions II history teaches anything, 1t IS
| the law of retributive justice, and that
+! whatsoever a nation sows that shall
| It also reap.
would rather see this government re-
main steadfast to the principles of jus
| economic results, than to see her become
the most splendid empire the world has
| ever seen, by wrong and injustice, con-
! quest and despotism.
| regard standards of value and
| economic questions as dust In the
| balances when compared with the in
| tegrity of our nation and her adherence
70 the principles of human freedom, and
! the preservation of popular government
| In conclusion, I would express. in the
words of the poet, my hope for my coua-
try's future. and the issue that now
| confronts her:
in the long vista of the years to roll.
Let me not see my country's honor
| fade;
! Oh, let me see our land retain its soul!
| Her pride in Freedom, and not Free
/ doms shade.
ALEXANDER SIDNEY LANIER,
! Richmond, Va, Oct. 9th, 1900