The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-04-19
nHNaY wArrEnsoN Eoa bryan.

| The following from the pen of Henry
Watterson, in the Louisville Courier.
journal, is good reading:
Says our esteemed contemporary, the
Charlotte IN. C.) Observer:
"Several prominent democratic news
papers which were not supporters
of the Chicago platform of 1896 have
recently given in their adherence to
Bryanism-we think at this moment of
the Courier Journal, Charleston News
and Courier and Atlanta Journal--but
the character of their reception has
been such as is well calculated to chill
the zeal of new recruits. They are
received into the fold with evident
reluctance, and only received at all
because it had been promised them that
they would be if they evidenced due
contrition. Colonel Bryan told the
dissenters, in several speeches, two and
three years ago, that if they returned
it must be in sackcloth and ashes.
Several Of our newspaper contemp-
oraries and fellow citizens have gone
back into the ranks, thus arrayed, and
have had the welcome that belongs to
abasement. There is no fatted calf
and no rings for the fingers, but good
deal of guying and very little room
accorded on the end of the bench"
1t may be thus in North Carolina.
But we have failed to discover the
like in Kentucky. The Courier Jour
nal is wearing no sackcloth to speak of.
Having eaten no fire we have had &C.
casion to swallow no dirt, and we are
free as wood sawyer and as happy
as big suntower.
We are democrat and not republl-
can. In 1896 We thought the country
menanced bya great national danger
1t was rescued from this danger. 1t
seems to be threatened by another.
We would rescue it from that. To
rescue it IN 1896 we had to oppose the
regular ticket Of our party. We asked
nJ quarter in IN 1896, We ask no aims
nov. The Courier-J Journal does as it
pleases, pays its own way. deties the
consequences, denies the confscator,
and there you are!
Our esteemed contemporary, the
Charleston Is. CO. News and Courier,
takes our esteemed contemporary, the
Charlotte IN. C.) Observer, perhaps
more seriously than the occasion war.
rants. Say the News and Courier:
We do not regard the financial is.
sue as an issue Of the present hour
but even if it were the controlling is
sue at the next presidential election
we should perfer to risk free silver
rather than risk the overthrow of oul
present republican form of govern
ment. It is because we believe tha
the triumph of the spirit Of imperial
ism would be more disastrous to ou
government and its institutions ane
laws than would be the success of Mr.
Bryan's financial theories, that VI
have said that it was the duty of tn,
democratic voters of this country
whatever their opinions upon tn
money question, to support Mr.. Bryan
for president at the next election, rath
er than risk the revolution in our sys
tenn of government which would al
tend the triumph of Mr.. Mckinley an,
his party.
cat the recent democratic conven
ton in Nebraska--Mr. Bryan's ow,
state-a platform was adopted, th
chief part of which relates to imperia
ism. In this platform there is, as th
New York Evening Post summarize
it, an expressed demand that th
Philippine islands be first provide
with an established form of govern
ment; second, that they be made il
. dependent, and that third, that the