The Topeka state journal., 1900-08-11
THE TWO CANDIDATES.

The Chicago Record prints the following
dissertation upon the two candidates as
editorial leader. 1t says:
Mr.. Bryan's extraordinary popularity
with the masses of his followers is now
universally acknowledged The sources Of
profound Significance being only in part
personal. In fact, it seems TO be this
cratic impulse to be the leader of a new
democratic movement.
of great promise but of too short dura-
ton to make him popularity known, re-
der circumstances and upon a platform
which produced intense alarm among the
conservative classes of the country In
deed his dramatic nomination was a bold
challenge to all that regarded itself pc
cuiiariy conservative in American life.
Then followed a remarkable political cam
paTIggn. Tgg ,,,,o ,o,-,r. o,,osor -
take advantage of the adverse conditions
under which Mr.. Cleveland's administra-
ton had attempted tariff reform, was pre-
for a new Mckinley tariff. To this end
the protected interests had procured the
stood for their single purpose. His record
In favor of all forms of cheap money, in
Mr.. Cleveland for striking down silver
in forcing the repeal of the purchasing
clause of the Sherman act, apparently dis
qualified him to stand as the champion
of the gold standard. Until within few
the west, had dared to advocate the single
gold standard Such were the condltlons
that made Mr.. Bryan'S nomination on d
radical platform one of the most dramatic
incidents in American politics
P9icaA FHnG1nJlpnt backed by
many party leaders. remained true TO lts
financial. record. Mr.. Hanna hastily re-
formed his lines, occupied the financial
position which Mr.. Cleveland had taken for
his party, and prepared for defensive
| campaign. Mr.. Mckinley revised his
financial views to stand as best he might
as the champion of the gold standard
The press of the country to an unprece-
dented extent united in his support Cor
poratiOns and individuals poured cam
paign funds into the Republican treasury.
| In a word. those who control the accumu-
| lated wealth of the country united as
| never before in defense of what they re-
| gard as the very essence of public order.
| That they won is less remarkable Inan
that their victory was not more sweeping.
| The candidate against whom these pow
erful forces united, supported mainly Dy
political amateurs, conducted a caIhpaiIsn pti
46 per cent. of the total vote Pausing
only to write an account of the FIRST
| call to his supporters and a challenge to
his opponents, Mr.. Bryan renewed the con-
ige to a single speech were now to see
that the campaign of 1896 vas to MN
he has spoken In all parts of the land to
vast audiences with frankneSs & and i,rtrt- SIN
of his integrity of purpose.
That Mr.; BRYAN has character, elot
qusnce and a winning PersonafIitg Is ao[
hold upon the masses of his followers
His leadership OF his party IS every Wheres
unquestioned. No other party leader OF
| our time has been the object Of such in
| tense devotion. With many OF ms foi7
lowers 1t amounts almost to fanatical
The explanation of Mr.. Bryan's popu-
larity must be sought in a cause when
lies deeper than any particular political
issue. That cause is to be found IN
growing belief among the people that
their government is slipping away from
them into the control of powerful special
interests In their view. the tariff is the
mother of trusts: imperialism is a costly
crusade for political and commerciaI
Of special privilege. They see in the COM
mercialiSm that has debauehed our mu-
nicipaI state and national governments
the sufficient cause of our political ills.
Mr.. Bryan peculiarly represents the forces
that seek to overthrow those VINO nave
tried to turn the flag into a commercial
asset His admirers wish to destroy the
influences that stand between the people
rising tide of democracy, in kind like those
of 1900 and 1928. One need not regard
without apprehension all that such a
movement involves to see in it much that
is good. Whether it is now to succeed or
fail this movement embodies the true
democratic spirit. Herein lies the source
of his popularity. In this he has found
his inspiration. That the Crokers of the
Democratic party bend to the storm
shows it's strength and also reveals its
TesaeVle7it It save Itself and the government from
the snares of the bosses, who are not
waYs watching to take advantage, by
cold calculation, of the unselhsh impulses
of OtherSH
Mr.. Mckinley, with a personality less
marked and less insistent than that Of
Mr.. Bryan, yet stands for a certain wen
defined set of political ideas. He is not
an originator. He has come to represent
the various things he stands for by rea-,
son of the natural pressure of events ana
his availability as a handler of legislative
levers and iackscrews. He first came be
fore the public prominently as the author
of a tariff schedule designed to beneht
American employers and employees py
shielding them from foreign competition.
riches
within the custom house gates was the
one with which he entered public life. 1t
was his first love and he has been true to
1t ever since. In his speeches of today,
as in his speeches in congress, the ra-
diant promise of prosperity is the key
The Mckinley tariff law made him IA
leading issue he necessarily held a con-
spicuous position among the Republicans
cause of his work as the evangel of the
tariff that he was still the foremost man
convention. But at st. Louis the rising
Importance of a new problem pushed him
came the advocate cf the single gold stan
dard turning his back on his former
to thai i1 policy searceiy had
he been elected ere still another Guestion
again destiny took him in hand. At
time when prosperity was already re-
turning, a victorious war blazed the way
From the outset, in short, Mr.. Mckinley
has been a cautious and intelligent fol-
lower rather than a leader of public SEN
timent For him that sentiment is re-
fected in the opinions of his most trusted
party friends and the substantial business
men who put their faith in his conserva-
tism. No doubt it was because he mis-
took the sentiments Of his partisan ad. ID
visers for those of the people that he
made bis disastrous inroad on civil service
REFORM and it was due to a. like confq-
sion, perhaps, that he was made to wabble
so painfully on the Porto Rican question:
He is a man of tentative purposes and
convictions. determined
especially if to be right is to insure pub
lie favor Yet for all that he has made
himself an essentially safe man. and
part Of the prosperity of the time-at
least in commercial circles-may be
a conviction that except where party pol
icr- has m de his WAY clear the adminis-