The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-08
OLNEY SUPPORTS
BRYAN'S CANDIDACY.
lVkA
Declares Outright For Demo-
cratic Nominee.
rElE'2yE ).
FULL TEXT OF HIS LETTER
The Duty Of Every Citizen to Vote
His Sentiments.
A CAREFUL ANALYSIS OF McKlNLEYISM
CIeveland's Ex-Seeretary of State Gives Nine
Reasons Why the American People
Should Overthrow the Pre-
sent Administration.


Below will be found full
copy of the letter written by
Hon. Richard Olney, Secretary of State
in President Clevelands last administra-
ton, declaring for Bryan in this cam
paign. 1t was addressed to H. L. Nelson,
of New Rochelle, N. Y. The complete
letter is as follows:
Boston, 23 Court street, Aug. IA.
Dear Sir: l have yours of the 18th
ultimo. You refer to a previous con-
versation in which l had intimated my
intention to vote the Democratic ticket
at the coming Presidential election and
ask for the grounds for SO doing. You
urged at our interview that such a de-
cision should, as a matter of duty, be
accomplished by willingness to avow the
reasons behind it. l recognize the force
of that view, and though it is against my
inclination and habits, l proceed to state
some considerations which seem to me
to justify the purpose 1 have formed.
Il need hardly say that Mr., Bryan is
not the candidate l should choose could
l have my way in the matter, and that
| entirely dissent from parts of the Kan
sas City platform. But in laying his
course upon the all-mportant subject OF
the Presidency a citizen is bound to bear
in mind that he is dealing with prac-
tical matter and must seek the best
practical results through such legitimate
practical methods as are available. Par
ties cannot be ignored, for example, be-
cause ours is a government of parties
the real issue is which Of them shall
-
of party must at best be abortive, while
it may further the success of the worst
party in the field.
EVERY CITIZEN SHOULD VOTE.
SO the choice between the parties, one
of which must certainly prevail, calls for
the exercise of the same sound common
sense Perfection in a candidate or plat
form is an idle dream, and infirmities in
its creed and defects in it's leadership
will always characterize every party. But
they in no wise excuse a citizen from
taking his assigned part in the govern
ment of the country-from making up
his mind what the common veal demands
and what party's success will come near
est satisfying the demand and from using
his influence and casting his vote accord
ingly. If one citizen may properly with
hold his vote, logically all may, and all
the wheels of government be stopped
while to decline voting because prac-
tcally assured that others will vote is
but to give the latter an undue share
of political power and to forfeit the right
to complain of any abuse of it.
'The obligations of citizenship are
avoided, not performed, by standing neu-
trail in an election. The voting power
is a trust which calls for use and is
violated by the neglect to use. There
is always a choice between the conse-
quences of one party's ascendancy and
those of it's opponent, and therefore the
true question before every citizen always
is of the general attitude of party upon
the vital issues of the day, and wheth-
err, in view of that attitude, it's success
is not the best thing in sight
DECLARES OUTRIGHT FOR BRYAN.
'Such is the real issue now confronting
every American citizen. Be it admitted
that the Democratic party, it's platform
and its candidate are open to much just
criticism, yet, all things considered, would
not its triumph be the best outcome
of the present Presidential contest?
I'm my judgment it would be. In my
Judgment nothing is now SO important
as that the American people should take
this their first opportunity to emphati-
cally protest against that eXcrescence
upon original Republicanism which may
be called McKinleyism-a term used
solely for brevity and not because Mr..
Mckinley is largely responsible for what
it comprehends, except as he has proved
himself unable or unwilling to resist thu
pressure of political and personal friends
or to withstand the temptation of trim
ming his sails to every wind of appar-
emily popular doctrine. 1t may not be
feasible tof undo what has been DONE
the weakest and silliest of administra-
tions "'"-' involve the country in diff
culties from which the strongest and
wisest may not be able to extricate it,
Nevertheless the evil course pursued should
be condemned and not condoned The
future may be helped and safeguarded
even if the past is remediless, while. so
far as the injurious consequences of past
courses can be ayerted or mitigated,
something may be hoped from those not
primarily responsible for them. From
their official authors and justifers moth
ing but persistence in them can reason
ably be expected, and, should McKinleyism
prevail in the pending election, who shall
Say-in view OF the administration S
proved capacity for reversing itself-that
we shall not soon find ourselves in the
tolls of a Chinese problem even more
costly, menacing and insoluble than the
Philippine problem itself? Surely every
argument urged in defense of our seizure
of the Philippines can be used second
time, with even greater force, to justify
our appropriation of a slice of China.
WHAT MR.. M'KINLEY STANDS FOR.
ITO support the conclusion to which
l have come it is only necessary to con-
slider what McKinleyism stands for-what
is the necessary effect of indorsing it
what it will mean if the American peo-
pie now solemnly record themselves as
.........,,..x. A. NsoN;oIov Admins r a tiou