Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-09-07
Strong Support for Bryan

Nv the ucItlOIOIC
made of the support of Olney and
Wilson, two members of Former
President Cleveland's cabinet, cannot
be overestimated. The letter which
Mr. Oiney wrote to II. l.. Nelson, of
New York, bore date of as long ago As
Aug. H. but has not been given to
the public until now. In the course
of his letter Mr.. Olney SAYS: II need
hardly say that Mr.. Bryan is not the
candidate 1 should choose could l have
had my way in the matter. and that L
entirely dissent from parts of the
Kansas City platform. But in laying
his course upon the all-imPortant
subject of the presidency, 8 citizen is
bound to bear in mind that he is
dealing with a practical matter aud
must seek the best practical results
through such Legitimate practical
methods as are available. Partie $
cannot be ignored, for example. be-
cause ours is government of parties.
The real issue is which of them shall
control, and individual effort indie
pendent of party must at best be abor
tive. while it may further the success
of the worst party in the field. So
the choice bet Eeen the parties. one of
which must certainly prevail, calls
for the exercise of the same common
sound sense.
Perfection in a candidate or plat
form is an idle dream. and intirmities
in it's creed and defects in its leader
snip will always characterize every
party. But they in no wise excuse a
citizen from taking his assigned part
in the government of the country
from making up his mind what the
commonweal demands and what par
tvs success will come nearest salts
fving the demand and from using his
influence and casting his vote accord
.ingly. If one citizen may properly
withhold mis- vote. logically all may,
and all the wheels of government be
stopped, while to decline voting bs-
cause practically assured that others
will vote is but TO give the latter an
undue share of political power and to
forfeit the right TO complain of any
abuse of it. The obligations of citi-
zenship are avoided, not performed,
by standing neutral in an election.
The voting power is a trust which
calls for use and is violated by the
choice between the consequences of
one party's ascendency and those of
its opponent, and therefore the true
question before each citizen always is
of the general attitude of a party upon
the vital issues of the day and wheth-
er, in view of that attitude, its sue
cess is not the best thing in sight.
Such is the real issue now confront
ing every American citizen. Be it ad-
mitted that the democratic party, its
platform and its candidate are open to
much Just criticism, yet, all things
considered, would not its triumph be
the best outcome of the present presi-
Dental contest? In my judgment it
would be.
In my judgment nothing is now
so important as that the American
people should take this. their first OPP
portunity, 10 emphatically protest
against that eXcreseuce upon original
repu blicanism which may be called
Mckinleyism-a term used solely for
brevity and not because Mr.. Mckin-
lev is largely responsible for what it
comprehends. exceptas he has proved
himself unable or unwilling to resist
the pressure of political or personal
friends and to withstand the tempta-
tion of trimming his sails to every
wind of apparently popular doctrine.
1T may not be fea-ible TO undo
what has been done-the weakest and
silliest of administrations may in
volve the country in difficulties from
which the strongest and wisest NAV
not be able to extricate it. NeveIthe-
less. the evil courses pursued should
be condemned and not condoned. The
future may De helped and safegua' ded
even if the past is remedies. while,
so far as the injurious conseq uences
of past courses can be averted or NIT
igated. something may be hoped for
from those not primarily responsible
for them.
From their official authors and |
lustifiers nothing but persistence in |
them can reasonably be expected, and !
should Mckinleyism prevail in the !
pending election. who shall say-in |
view OF the Administrations proved |
for reversing itself-that We
shall not soon find ourselves in the 1
tolls of "A Chinese problem even more
costly, menacing and insoluble than I
the Philippine problem itself? Surely !
every argument urged in defense of
our seizure of the Philippines can be
U sed a second time with even greater |
force to justify our appreciation of q
slice.of China. For myself, therefore, |
l find it tolerably clear that citi-
Ben's duty in connection with the
coming presidential election not only
permits. but requires him 10 desire
the success of the democratic party"
The publication in Washington in :