The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1900-08-24
URGES BRYAE,S ELECTION.
W. Boursse Cochran Says II Would
Serve as n Check to Ira
pcria1ism.

response to an invitation to attend
and address an anti-imperialist con-
| gress here:
New York. Aug. Any Dear Sir: I re-
gret very much that owing to business en-
! gagements here / will be unable to attend
/ the liberty convention at indianapolis on
1 the 18th. The attitude of anti-imperialists
to imperialism cannot be open TO doubt
and therefore l assume the object of the
/ convention is not to express opposition. but
to devise method of making that opposi-
I ton effective.
The issue of imperialism having been
| sQuarely raised between the two great
/ parties, 1t must be plain that the only way
/ in which a citizen can exercise any direct
/ influence upon the result is by voting for
/ the republican candidate who supports il
/ or the democratic candidate who opposes 1t.
Nothing can be accomplished by the
nomination of a third candidate that cam
not be accomplished equally by abstention
| from the polls. except that the citizen who
| remains at home on election day passes
/ unnoticed. while he who votes third ticket
| attracts attention. The difference between
silent and vociferous refusal to exercise
/ the suffrage is not worth discussion. since
abstention from civic duty is never COM
mendable
place for the patriot is in the ranks of the
active defenders. Absence from the field
of contest or shooting in the air can never
be justified.
1T cannot be denied that while anti-im-
perialists unanimously approve Mr. Bryan's
position on imperialism many of them hest
tate to vote for his election to the presi-
dency because they regard his views upon
other questions with distrust and appre-
hension.
Political Changes Since 1895.
eve cannot hope to deal intelligently
with the issues of this campaign unless we
liberate ourselves from the domination of
the questions, discussions and passions of
the last campaign. Within four years po-
litical conditions have changed decisively
and as conditions change issues change
with them. The question which the people
must decide now is radically different from
that submitted to them In 1896.
Then the election of Mr.. Bryan would
have placed the democratic party in COM
| plete control of the legislative as well as of
the executive branch of the government
with full power to enact all its beliefs into
laws. while now his election will result not
In placing the control of the government
in the hands of the democratic party, but
| in dividing its control between the two
parties. Whatever may be the result of
| this election. the senate will remain repub-
near for two years certainly and probably
for four
Even II the people raised Mr.. Bryan to
the presidency in November the demo-
cratic party cannot possibly achieve any
| power OF legislation during the existence
| OF the next congress, and without legis-
| lative sanction no change in the standard of
value no reorganization OF the supreme
court, no modification whatever of our
financial, industrial or political systems
could be accomplished.
There Is one issue which the popular
verdict will settle irrevocably and that is
the issue of imperialism. If the republican
r he e<,,t a.. ~
| 1icial as we'll as of the executive and legis-
iatve departments of the government will
be absolute, and Its disposition to exercise
all Its power for the enforcement of an i'm
perialistic policy cannot be doubted. At
the end Of four years Imperialism will be so
hrmly imbedded in our political life that 1t
can never be expelled.
Bryan's Election the Cure.
Mr.. Bryan's election Of itself would put
quietus on the imperialistic adventure
Imperialism rebuked at the polls and
shown to be Improbable would not have a
| single supporter in the country. Within a
| month of election, Senator Hoar could re-
| duce his noble conceptions of freedom and
! duty TO definite proposals of pacifcation
| which both parties would accept The
| CONTEMPLATING pronounced for justice pol
| itcians of every shape and description will
be eager to do justice, and where the desire
| for justice is sincere the way to justice Is
| soon discovered.
Since the election of Mr.. Bryan is GER
tain TO deliver the country from the immi-
nent peril OF Imperialism can the liberty
| convention hesitate to support him because
| OF impalpable danger arising from his opin-
! ions on subjects with which as president
he cannot possibly deal?
Il confess ii is hard to understand the
! attitude of those gentlemen who would
have supported him if the convention had
! peen silent or evasive on the free coinage OF
hut rhAh cft IL
! platform which excludes that question
from the serious discussions of the contest
/ oy relegating 1t to subordinate position.
Paramount Issue Is PInin.
The democratic platform declares that
! imperialism is the paramount issue of the
campaign and Mr.. Bryan's speech at In
4 clanapoliS accepts this conception of the
issue, emphasizes It and vindicates it, But
declaration that imperialism Is a para
mount issue is equivalent to declara ton
that ii is the sole issue, for no presidential
election ever decided more than one cues
| ton. In my judgment the platform actual
| ly adopted by the democratic convention
should be much more satisfactory to sound
money men than any of the substitutes
suggested by older and more conservative
managers.
Since nobody pretends that Mr.. Bryan's
opinions on the questions raised by the Chi
! caso platform of 1896 have been CHANGED.
his refusal 10 disguise them in any way
was highly creditable to his honesty. and
honesty is the first essential of patriotic
| presidential service.
Mr.. Bryan's conversion to a belief In
sound money would in my opinion be a rea-
son for national rejoicing, but any aban-
Comment or abasement of the frankness and
sincerity which have always distinguished
| him would be little short of a national cal
amity. We need not accept Mr. BRYAN as
+ an lntallible or even as a sound authority
! on econoi lics to acknowledge that his in
tegrity, his truthfulness and absolute sin
certify have been among the most salutarv
influences of this generation on our polit-
| ical life.
! 1T is certain that this country is fndeht-
ed to him Tor the gold standard law which.
though IL has the defects of its party origin,
is the best contribution to our nation i
stability since the resumption of specie
payments. If the democratic platform of
1896 had been evasive as unluestionably il
would have been If the so-called conserya-
uVes had controlled the convention, can
anybody doubt that the republicans would
nave met evasion with evasion and that the
financial Issue would be still unsettled
hanging Ike sinister shadow over our
/ ind rial