Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-03-22
Mr.. Bryan's Chances.

| washington EOSC. assuming CnaG lion.
William J. Bryan will be tho Democratic
nominee this year, and thoro seems little
doubt of it at tho present moment, lot us
cast his horoscope, SO far as that may bo
possible in tho light before us. Tho
campaign is closc at hand. Within four
months both tickets and platforms will
bo before tho people. Wo all recall tho
circumstances Of 1896. What will DO tho
situation and what tho prospects in this
year of our Lord 1900
-Four years ago Mr.. Bryan stood for
what many rcgarccd as n propaganda of
anarchy. The silver plank in tho Chi
cago platform, which was, unfortunately
| for the Democrats, made tho most con-
spicuous and threatening feature of the
conflict, enabled tho lorators and organs
of the capitalstic combinations of the
country to proclaim that Bryan's sue
cess meant "dishoncst money" "thc
| degradation Of tho dollar" and the
''robcry Of tho horneyhandcd son Of
| toil.' What dreadful pictures were
drawn of the consequences of Dcmocra-
tic success, it is now impossible to ado
quately describe. The wreck of enter
prise and industry, tho ruin of tho poor
man, tho determination of agriculture,
and the dawn of the hcll-born carnival
these were only few of the grcwsome
prospects danglcd before the eyes of tho
ignorant and timid voter. Newspapers
rantcd about the $50 cent dollar" stump
speakers braycd and howlcd over the in
fanny of paying the laborcr only half his
wages. Pensioners, persons depending
upon limited unnuitics, all tho swarms
of tho salarcd, were told that they tot
tered on tho brink Of pcnrry. Never
was there so simple and so sharply de-
fined an issue, and never was the oppor-
tunity for blatant ond inscnsatc outcry
SO inviting. We all remember how it
ended.
But what difference now! Iha Re-
publicanS themselves have deliberately
removed the bugaboo Of free silver from
their property room. The cnaction of
the law fixing tho gold standard rs part
of our national policy makes silver coin
age impossible for at least six years to
como. No manufacturer or CAPITALIST or
great merchant or employer need bc
frightened into heavy contribution to
tho Republican campaing fund. Were
Bryan to be chosen President next No
vcmbcr, and were a Democratic house
to be elected simultaneously, the peril of
free silver, like that Of free trade, would
he no nearer .. more real than it is at
this moment There would still bo n
majority in the Senate capable of pre-
venting either calamity, and no power at
tho disposal of the executive to over
come tho obstacle. Those two grisly
nightmares no longer throng the atmos-
phcrc. No ono outside of nurseries
and asylnms can now be frightened by
these buckram SpoOks.
On the other hand, what strength has
the Republican party gained to Offset
this loss Of weakness by the Democracy?
Very little, we fear The splendid and
successful conduct Of tho war with
Spain has been sadly cloudcd by the
scandals Of mismanagcmcnt and favorit-
ism, which attended that glorious con-
summation. The course Of the admin
iStration with reference to Cuba and the
Philippines has lost the party many
stout and potent friends. The strange
policy recently adopted toward Forto
Rico has outraged practically the entire
country. The lIay-Paunccfotc treaty
has still further impaired Mr.. McKinley's
prestige, and the rumorcd purpose of
the President to compel it's ratification
will, if it should be realized, not only
discrcdit the government, but bring con-
tempt and odium upon the party. In a
word, the situation, as it seems to us, is
far more favorable TO Mr.. Bryan aid far
less so to Mr.. Mckinley than it was four
years ago.
What will happen within the next six
months it is not for us to prophcsy. Wo
deal with the facts rs they are at this
moment. In our opinion, the Republican
party has lost ground to an alarming ex-
tent within the past three months. It's best
friends and ablcst cxponcnts have not
been able to explain the betrayal Of our
national integrity involved in tho Hay
Paunccfotc treaty, or to defend the bad
faith and cruelty involved in our treat
mcnt of Porto Rico. We say nothing of
the stupid mismanagcmcnt in Cuba and
the Philippines, the ugly and appalling
suspicious current with reference to
both them and Porto Rico. Having no
certainty, we speak no word. Bat wo
assert, without fear Of contradiction,
that the administration is daily losing
strength on all these scores, and we know,
for certainty, thousands Of men who,
four years ago, regarded Mr.. Bryan with
terror and aversion, now consider him
tavorably as the lesser Of two evils.