Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-08-23
LINCOLN AND BRYAN.
Philadelphia Press.l

Philadelphia Press.
When MIR. Bryan made his acceptance
speech at indianapolis week ago he was
free with his use of the name of Abraham
Lincoln. Quotations and passages from
Lncolns writings and speeches came as
trippingly from his tongue as if he had sat
at the feet of the nartyred President and
imbibed his principles from that honored
source. Mr.. Bryan doubtless considered
this effort to place himself on the same
plane with Lincoln and make himself an
exponent of Lincoln's principles as the
greatest feat of legerdemsin he had ever
performed, and the Democratic newspa-
pers which applauded the speech evident
ly agree with him.
The indianapolis Sentinel is one of the
most vociferous of these newspaper LADDERS
of Mr.. Bryan's speech and its profuse quo
tations from Lincoln, which are intended
to show how far the Republican party has
departed from Lincoln and, consequently,
what dreadful things will happen if Nc
Kinley is reelected. Unfortunately for
the Sentinel, however, its old files of 1864
are still in existence, and the Chicago
Times Herald has been making some e1.
tracts from its utterances during the cam.
paign of that year, when Lincoln ran for
re. collection. Here is one of these utter
ances printed in July, 1864 -
"The only hope of preserving constitu-
tional liberty, the rights of the States and
restoring peace to the Union is IN the res
toration Of the Democratic party to power.
But let Abraham Lincoln he
elected for another term, and what will be
the consequence Four years more of abb
clifton war, national bankruptcy and then
European interference"
On another occasion the Sentinel in its
fight against Lincoln and the imperial
ism" of 1864 was moved to ask -
"Have not the people daily evidence that
Abraham Lincoln is assuming the power
the despotic power-to enable him to
pay his debts and replenish his overdrawn
Golfers, exhausted extravaganza and ambi-
tious strife for power ?"
And it was only few days before the
Presidential election in November, 1864,
that this vociferous organ of anti-imPerial-
ism in Indianapolis uttered this warning -
"Should Lincoln be reelected the revolu-
ton will be accomplished. This will be no
longer Republic of the United States, but
a consolidated empire. Every safeguard
must sooner or later give way. The limi'
tatons of the executive power will not be
in the Constitution, but in the pleasure of
the President. We implore pa
triotic intelligent men to pause and reflect
and give their verdict on Tuesday next.
If the people will not save their priceless
Constitution and Union, it is lost"
Change the name of Lincoln in any one
of these quotations to Mckinley and they
could be reprinted today by any so-called
anti.imperialist organ. In fact, with one
exception, probably, there is no antrim
perialist organ in 1900 which was not
rabid vilifer and defamer of Lincoln in
1894. They were using the same argu-
ments against Lincoln then that they are
using against Mckinley now. Lincoln was
the embodiment of the tyrant to them and
they we're camoring about his purpose to
subyert constitutional government and
make himself an emperor just as they are
clamoring about Mckinley today. "lm-
perialism" was the same bogy to them as
now, and the same terrible things we're
sure to happen in 1864 which it is claimed
will happen in 1900 if the Democratic
party is not restored to power.
The country did not listen to these
Democratic demagogues thirty-six years
ago and it will not listen tc them now.
Abraham Lincoln went on with his task of
saving the government Notwithstanding
the reckless abuse Of the Indianapolis Sen
tinel and other organs like it, and William
Mckinley will 60 on with his task of re-
storing order In the Philippines notwith-
standing abuse from tue same sources.
And if Mr.. Bryan and these organs inn
agine that they can deceive the country by
pretending now to be the apostles and ex-
ponents of the man whom they go shame
fully abused during the great crisis Of the
nations life they are making pitiful mis-.
take. The nation which did not trust them
in 1854 will not trust them in 1900.