The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-07-18

for him than Is any other Democrat i'm
good standing, but if The CD. is really
hankering for joint debate in which
Bryan shall figure l can suggest one
which will add to the gayety of na-
tions. Let William Mckinley and vii.
liam ]. Bryan have one joint discussion
in each Of the 45 states Of the Union.
/ am absolutely certain that Bryan will
accept. Can The CD. bring William
Of Canton to the scratch? l trow not,
and why not? Because The CD. knows
full we'll that Mckinley can't hold n
candle to Bryan in n full and com.
prehensive discussion of the issues
now before the American people.
feel so certain that Bryan and
Democrats generally would favor
discussion between the presi-
dental candidates that. while I
am not authorized to speak for the
Democratic national committee, and
While that committee is not burdcned
with funds. feel perfectly safe in say.
Ing that rather than not have these 45
debates between Bryan and Mckinley
the Democrats will defray the entire
expense Of the performance. If we
cant get the necessary money any
other way, we will raise it by popular
Democratic subscription. The poorest
Democrnt in the land would be willing
to contribute his mite in order to see
the peerless Nebraskan thrmp the
present occupant Of the White House.
This Bryan-McKinley oratorical
scrapping match would attract more
attention than any debate that ever
took place on earth, and The CD. will
miss the greatest opportunity of its
career If 1t fails to join me in the eff.
fort to pull it off.
The Open Door In China,
recent declaration by a high Re.
publican official ut Washington recalls
the famous lines which Bret Harte
puts into the mouth Of Truthful James:
Do sleep? Do ! dream?
DO wonder and doubt2
Are things what they seem,
Or are visions about?
10 our civilization failure
Or Is the Caucasian played outf
The aforesaid declaration Of the high
Republican official is. In words and
figures. as follOws-to wit:
"Thc SO called guarantees relative to
the open door in China are not worth
the paper they are written on"
Jupiter Olympus! What are we com.
ing to? For many moons we have
been told, with frequent and monot.
onous itel on, that the achievement
OF the "Open door, was of itself alone
amply sufficient to secure an immor.
tality Of glory for this Republican ad-
minstration. At the annual banquet
or the merchants and manufacturers
or Baltimore last spring l heard my
brilliant and expansive friend, Hon.
Charles Emory Smith. postmaster gen.
eral OF the United States. laud it to
the skies as the summum bonum of
all diplomacy and in a rhapsody of
iridescent rhetoric place William Nc.
Ainlcy and Mr.. Secretary Of State
John Hay on the pinnacle Of fame for
having negotiated it. General Smith is
a handsome man. 4 prepOssessing gen.
tleman. an artist in the use Of word J.
and he enthuscd his audience and car.
rled IT OH Its feet. or, rather, out Of it's
seats ON to it's feet. rs he pictured in
gorgeous colOrs how we were, one ana
all. to be made rich beyond the dreams
OF avaricc by reason Of the "opcn door"
policy. ! confess that was so wrought
upon by his flights Of Imagination and
clOQucpce that | began In my mind to
nsure out the date when l could quit
prac;icinS law and lecturing and 60
to living in clover OH my part of the
divvy Of the illimitable wealth to come
to us through this much vaunted "open
door," lived in ecstasy for weeks
aftcrward. Now comes this cold blood.
ed, hcartlcss. unimaginative. matter Of
fact high Republican official" at
Washington and pulls the underpIn-
ming out from under General Smiths
air castles In China rs ruthlessly ms
blind Samson pulled down the temple
by pulling down the pillars that held
1t up. l feel sad sense Of personal
bereavement as l see my individual
portion Of wealth through the "opcn
door" rcceding in the dim distance.
And so 1.-The guarantees Of the open
door are not worth the paper on
which they are writtcn!" Loo bad.
One by one the roses fall "The high
Republican official who ruined Gen.
cral Smiths speech and blasted nv
hopes ought to be prosecuted for lcze
majesty.
The Ticket.
1t Is useless to say that Bryan's nom.
ination Is strong and popular one.
Also the platform is strong and Dopu-
lar. 1t Is generally conceded that the
nomination Of Adlai l.. Stevenson for
vice president strengthens the ticket
greatly in that section Of the country
where 1t most needs strengthening.
conservative estimate Of what would
happen were the election held today
Is that the Democrats would carry
KCntuCEv Indiana Noxv Vnrl. o,,,