Evening star., 1900-10-20

They are slanderers of the conscience and
capacity Of the American people, slander-
ers Of the fine. strong spirit of American
nationality. slanderers of the patriotism OF
the American soldier and slanderers of the
character Of American government insult
ingiy suggesting that under its territorial
application not so much liberty will be en-
joyed as under the dictatorship Of des-
potic Malay adventurer.
A direct and distinct contradiction is to be
noted between the two Bryanite Declara-
tions of Independence.
when the question was of the nations
power, singie-handed, to double the price
of silver over all the world, Bryan said:
TO such daStardS as dare to lay limit to
the power of the American people 1 hurl
their cowardice and lack Of patriotism in
their faces"
When the question is of the republics
power to resist the tendencies toward mil
itarism and Imperialism which accompany
the acquisition of the Philippines and which
have characterized every territorial en-
largement of the United States recorded in
history, Bryan throws up his hands in de
spair and in effect says: THE republic is
tottering to its fall. The empire is at hand.
Republican principles lie in the dust. Only
through my election and my intervention
can the nation escape its impending DOOM"
The 1896 declaration, reaffirmed in 1900,
Is an appeal to false pride, and boastfuly
suggests that this great people and glorious
nation can do anything, even the supernat-
ural.
The 1900 declaration is an appeal to pusi-
lanimity. a confession of impotence. which
suggests that this great people is helpless
of itself to ward off imperialistic dangers
which our ancestors overcame with ease.
The Ideal Republic.
The beautiful vision of the future republic
founded on the rock of eternal truth. devel-
oping in material prosperity. In strength
and influence, into the supreme moral fac
tor In the worlds progress, which Bryan
behe9d and described in the Revelations
chapter that concludes his Indianapolis ut
terance, evidently does not picture the re-
public which would logically arise on the
foundation of the principles and pollcleS
which he advocates
A governmental structure based on the
principle that government without the con-
sent of the governed is without exception
tyranny, to be resisted and OVerthroWn, is
founded on quicksand and not on a rock.
No stable government can be built upon
the doctrine of the inalienable right of the
governed to secede from it at pleasure by
Withholding individual consent disin-
tegrating principle is introduced widen
ing crack develops in the foundation, and
the structure inevitably falls. The fiat
money, fraudulent-bankrupt republic which
would rise upon 16 to free coinage foun-
dation could evidently never serve as the
supreme moral factor in the worlds prog
ress. National dishonor from reputation
which destroys the national credit makes a
poor foundation stone for the ideal repub
lie. The Bryanite theory of national i'm
potence to maintain effectively American
sovereignty and republican principles If
any additional burdens of government. as
in Asia. are imposed, confesses structural
weakness in the fl anne work of the imagin-
ed republic which threatens its speedy de-
strrction. The promised American growth
and development are impossible for a struc-
ture, which is represented to be unable to
bear another pounds weight upon joists
that crack under their present burden. A
governmental edifice based upon the Kan
C1ty n1atfOrm would moreover have
rational misfortune as one Of its foundation
stones. Strikes, riots, panics and bank
ruptcies in this country. and murderous
ambuscades of our soldiers in the Philip
pines. aided and abetted by accessories in
the United States. contribute to it's growth,
and are welcomed among its artificers.
Behold in contrast with his vision the
actual house of the nation which William
Jennings Bryan would build, with its foun-
dations of national dishonor, national ca
lamities. the principle of national disin-
tegration and confessed national impotence!
An edifice of shame, a pest house. warning
off the world
But perhaps Bryan is not to be under
stood suggesting that the republic which
he behoids in ecstatic vision is to develop
from his own election or from the success
of the policies which he openly advocates
Perhaps. on the ingenious theory submitted
by Bourke Cochran which gives Bryan the
credit for the victory of the gold standard
in 1896 on account of the sincerity with
which he assaulted it., Bryan may by the
vigor with which he contends for a dis.
honored, disintegrated. bankrupted and I'M
potent republic indirectly develop through
his own defeat the lefty and imposing
superstructure of the ideal republic. built
on the rock foundations of national honor,
sound money. the reign of law, patriotic
devotion to the flag, expansion and pros
perity.
Bryan ISLANDERS the republic of the pres
ent in g,orifying the imaginary republic OF
the future The nation is not degenerate,
corrupt, impotent to contend against unre-
publican tendencies. 1t is not tainted NOR
ally and inflated with false pride so that 1t
is liable to undertake the impossible task
proposed by the free coinage advocates or
the dishonorable role of fraudulent bank
rupt in the international court
True National Greatness.
The republic was never greater in pop
ulation, wealth and material prosperity
never greater in Intellectual advancement
and moral stamna-never greater in the
strength which comes from unity. The
patriotic American sentiment. the spirit of
American nationality. which makes a unit
of millions. was never SO powerful. This
spirit was born in the bloodshed of the
revolution. 1t was revived in the agony OF
civil war when the American people vividly
realized that the Union Is not mere alb
straction, but something, to love. to live
for and, if need be, to die for. 1t was
perfected only in the bloodshed Of the war
with Spain when north and south hght1ng
side by side, buried their sectional grieV-
ances and were welded into the more per-
feet Union"
This centennial year Of the establishment
of the permanent seat OF government at
Washington, is not a time of national
humiliation, of dishonor, of impotence. To
be an American was never before SO nigh
an honor. The banner bearing the stars
and stripes was never so respected over al |
the globe. The expanded and expanding in
fluence of the nation is beneficial: America
is a world-power for good and not for evil.
The republic of today is sound morally,
mentally and physically in spite of the
obvious national evils and dangers of the
age to which it Is subjected.
1t is as a great tree, pushing its mighty
trunk and w:despreading branches into the
sky and living and thriving and blessing
the world IN increasing ratio in spite of the
attacks, open or insidious, of all its enc
mics.
1t has endured the devastating cyclone of
civil war the lightning stroke of foreign |
assault, the insidious attacks of burrowing |
pests and diseases that bring decay, like |
public and private corruption, undue love