The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-10-30
THE NATIONAL ELECTION.

@OAJ 1-ON-O
tional election. There + at
least half a dozen candidates for
the Presidency but only three
are likely to receive more than one
per cent. of the vote of this State
Mckinley, Bryan, and Barker. 1t
should be a matter of pride that all
three are men of irreprOachable prl-
vate character, as we'll as men Of
ability. 1t is generally conceded
that President Mckinley has the best
chances of election, but is quite as
generally conceded that Mr.. Bryan
has gained support rapidly since he
began his campaign, and his election
is by no means an impOssibility.
Even in New York and Ohio he has
developed such remarkable strength
as to seriously alarm the Republi-
cans. Both Bryan and Mckinley
have been prominently before the
American people for four years.
Mr.. McKinley's record as Presi-
dent is too we'll known to demand
comment, as is also that of his run
ming mate, Col. Roosevelt, as gov
ernOr of New York. For Our part,
we confess to a decidedliking for the
personal characteristics of Col.
Roosevelt. He is anything but u
mOssbaCk fossil. Furthermore, he
has made a good record as Governor.
One of his greatest triumphs was the
passage of the Ford franchise tax
bill, forcing a large number of
wealthy corporations to bear their
share of the burdens of taxation.
Without Gov. R~OOsevelt's earnest
work in its behalf, the bill would
have been defeated. Naturally, the
affected corporations have not since
regarded Roosevelt with favor.
In fact, it has been asserted upon
high authority that az a result of
their work, Roosevelt was nominated
for the Ce-Presidency and put out
of New York politics.
As to Col. Bryan, we are only
chronicicling a fact we'll known to
all observant citizens when we say
that he is stronger today than four
years ago. Then he was compare
lively unknown four years of closest
scrutiny is the test to which he has
been subjected. AS a result, his
courage, uprightness and ability are
recognized by all. Perhaps no
monthly in the country is doing more
for McKinley's reelection than the
American Monthly Review of Re
views. Yet its editor comedies that
Mr.. Bryanis "a man of great strength
of will, tenacity of purpose, and
force of character" Perhaps no
weekly in the country is doing more
for McKinly than the New York
Outlook. Yet in an editorial on the
Democratic Convention it said:
1--WE do not recall any National
Convention in American history in
which the men who use politics by
corrupt means for corrupt ends have
been more in evidence. Nor any in
which men of pure lives, sincere
purposes, honest and DISTINGUISHED
beliefs, and popular sympathies were
more in evidence. OF this element
William j. Bryan, the candidate Of
the party for the Presidency, was
the most distinguished representa-
tive. Mr.. Bryan has been called Il
'shifty politician That is exactly
what he is not. To the doctrine Of
Is to l he has adhered with u peril
nacity which only Il vital faith could
produce. William j. Bryan has
proved himself an honest man, a
sincere lover of the people, his domi-
nant motive u passionate desire at
once to lead and to serve them, his
strength a faith in them and in him
self as of them"
And among the independent dali
les there is perhaps no stronger sup
porter of the gold standard than the
Washington Post, which pronoUnces
Mr.. Bryan "a man of thoroughly
sincere convictions and thoroughly
unselfish purposes, no matter how
misguided or how wise his aspira-
tons"
Mr.. Stevenson, Mr.. Bryan's run
ming mate, is not regarded as a man
of very great ability. He is, we
think, a second-rate politician, but it
is not true that he is not in accord
with Mr.. Bryan as to silver. We
believe hat he was a member of the