The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-10-05
PARAMOUNT ISSUES.
Senator Dolliver Calls Attention to Sew
eral Cast Off by Bryan.

eral Cast Off by Bryan.
Senator ]. p Dolliver, contributes
an article in the current number of
the Forum, under the above heading
from which we select few salient
points:
1t is the misfortune of the Democra-
tic party of the United States that the
questions which it has hitherto looked
upon as important are no longer de-
batable. The issues of 1892 and the
issues of 1896 sleep together peacefully.
Each in its time was supreme today
both are extinct. They have descend
ed by regular scale, first paramount,
then secondary and at last obsolete.
The issue of free trade, always hid
den under smooth phrases about tariff
reform, carried the Democratic party
to success in 1892. That victory was the
cruelest thing that could have hap
pened to the free trade propaganda
for it Immediately put the doctrine to
the test of experience. For twenty
years it had enjoyed the respectability
that belongs to libraries, university
lecture rooms, pamphlets and eloquent
remarks. From that day it had to
stand trial in open court, confronted
by the witnesses against it; and by
the time Mr.. Cleveland Indignantly re-
fused to sign the tariff law of 1894, it
was waiting for the condemnation of
the American people. Mr.. Bryan
helped to frame the law, and the only
reason that in 1896 it did not become
an issue superior to all others was
that it did not have a friend left on
earth The principles involved in it
became odious, and the tide which
afterward became irresistible had al
ready set in toward the popular leader
who framed the tariff act of 1890.
Under these circumstances the
Democratic party stood dazed and
helpless. Their majority in the house
of representatives had dwindled to
an insignificant remnant and the
campaign speeches which before had
stirred the prejudices of the country
against the administration of Benja-
min Harrison had become more worth
less than the cries of the fish market.
When we consider that in order to
have political campaign it is neces-
sary for both sides to have something
to talk about, it is no wonder that the
Chicago convention in 1896 set up an
other issue as paramount. The free
coinage of silver furnished a subject,
and the convention selected Mr.. Bryan
to represent it, on account of the ex-
traordinary skill and power which he
interpreted to the delegates their own
convictions and emotions on the mat
ter. Nor is it remarkable that the
scheme of bogus bimetallism, put for
ward there as a panacea for hard
times, attracted so great a following
throughout the country. 1t was a
time of trouble, of business disaster
of wrecked fortunes, of shriveled in
vestments, of unemployed labor and
behind all these the American farmer
stood under burden of debt, dis
heartened by the daily reports of
bankrupt market place. Such was the
state of affairs when Mr.. Bryan spoke
on his paramount issue of 1885, 1t will
remain an everlasting vindication of
popular institutions that the Ameri-
can people, rising above the misery
which surrounded them. took Just
and rational measure of this issue !;
choosing rather to guard the national
integrity from reproach than to enjoy
the doubtful advantages of 16 to for
season.
1t will not be denied that Mr.. Bryan
made brave and picturesque fight.
The very boldness of the man at
tracted attention and through his
speeches there ran distinct line of
sincerity, which even made his light
predictions of the future seem to null
titudes like the inspired prophecies of
old. He was brave in disaster for
Immediately after the election he is
sued an address to the "Bimetallists
of the United States saddened by tenn
porary defeat. - Remembering how
thickly he had scattered his predic-
tions about the railway stations of the
Unied States, he felt the SOLDERING in
fuence of the fact that his fne-spun
PHILOSOPHERS were at length to meet
the test of experience. He was not
wanting in confidence. SIN the face
if an enemy rejoicing in its victory"
he called the roll for the next engage
ment THE friends of bimetallism
have not been vanquished, he de-
clared; They have simply been over
come. They believeth that the gold
standard is a conspiracy of the money
changer against the welfare of the
human race, and they will continue
the warfare against it. Events will
prove whether they are right or wrong.
Our opponents he added, "have sue
ceeded in this campaign and must put
their theories to test -
, 1t will be admitted by everyone
whose mind is at all adapted TO the
consideration of such a subject, that
the last, four years have played sad
havoc with the prophetic literature of
Mr 20 ln1 L
patriarch Noah had predicted drouth
instead of deluge, and had advocated
system of irrigation instead of build
ing an ark, his friends and relatives
would have had less reason to com
plain of him than Mr.. Bryan's de-
ciples now have to complain of their
leader. He said that if the gold stan
dard were continued prices would still
further decline: But the prices of all
products of labor have gone steadily
up. He said that the wages would de-
crease, and the employment of the
people, even then precarious, would
still further fail But the wages have
increased until, if we may believe Mr..
Carroll D. Wright, they have reached
the highest mark known in our indus
trial history, while the employment
of our people is now universal and
uninterrupted. Mr. Bryan said that the
burden of debt would be multiplied
by the increase of interest rates and
the scarcity of money. But money
was never so plentiful, and interest
rates, tending still lower were never
so low before Already the
issue made paramount by the Kansas
City resolutions has dwindled away
before the eyes of the political char
latans who discovered it. 1t has taken
it's place with the minor clamors with
which bewildered politicians have
filled the air in order to avoid the
main issue.