The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-10
CURRENT TOPICS.

The campaign liar IS now dong his
best-or worst The story accusing Bryan
of selling his influence in favor of free
silver plank in tn Kansas City platform
was a very venturesume specimen. Any
but an IDIOT would know it was pure fake.
And Tow comes the even more silly in
vent:on. to the effect that Governor Roose-
Welt should have said that any workman
who joined in a strike deserved to be shot.
Everybody who has studied NJ. Bryan
knows he is an honest man. Anybody
capable Of getting in out Of the rain
knows that he is not a fool; and he must
he both ,1lave and fool to be guilty of
selling mis- influence, as charged. Roose-
welt is. ana has long bsen, friend OF
organized labor. Hs would be more likely
10 SIDE with the striker than WITH the
employer: but we suppose there are men
u.loln our saws go not shut away from
believe these tales.-Chattanooga Tins.
It is this sort OF thing that dis5usts
thougltfu man with politics. The pur-
pose Of that sort Of campaigning is TO
Withdraw the attention of voters from the
real Issues ana influence them to vote this
way or that by appealing to Their passions.
One of the most sinister features Of the
Presidential contest this year is the policy
of coercion and intimidation alleged to
have been adopted by M-kinieyite employ
ers oc labor i'll al parts of the country.
Persuasion and argument having failed to
convert worlzingmen into supporters of
McK:nley.sl11, more drastic measures. it is
charged. have been resorted 10 in ord@H
to assure the continued supremacy of the
Republican party II national affairs. The
awo~ktngnlan, the emD!oya OF the trust
and corporation. the toers III factories,
mills and mines, are to be driven, 1t is
said. into voting for Mr.. Mckinley against
their convictions by methods when are
as coercive as if the victims were dragged
to the polls by a coTporafs squad. rms
is the despot.sm TO which We nave come
under The rule of the trusts, the inoneysd
interests and our Napoleon Of ''pracu-
cal noIifics" ana SINISTER tinance.-Balti
more Sun.
This IS unworthy of so emtnently q re-
srrctaole paDer as the Baltimore sun.
Mark YOU the Sun says, ''it IS charged,
and AGAIN sit is said in the premise, but
in the conclusion it makes the positive as
seryat:on that this IS despotisHl. what
is .iescotissn?" An allegation. a charge.
a rumor mere ct is said? Ii the
sun has proof that Republicans are intltn-
iiAat:ng their men and forcing them asain9t
their. will to support Mckinley, let the
proof be Forthcoming ana The Tines will
ioin the Sun in denouncins the ''despots-
ID no Sun c GOOD n D3Der TO De
denouncing business concerns upon mere
Eumor.
II seems that the members of the Leg
islature want it. and, of course, they are
going to have their way about an extra
session The Democrats are creeping out
of the pledge made at Norfolk to ho-d
down the expenses Of a Constitutional
Convention TO the lowest notch. VIII
they also go back on the pledge to submit
the work OF the convention TO a vote Of
the people? The chances are that they
viii unless the people ana press keep them
up 10 it. But, for the present. they are
content with holding an extra session Of
the Legislature, and we opine, not SO
| .nuin DSCsiiSe u tilS Sti-S " Not-''-NN
tional reform as that each member has
some pet local bill in his pocket which ne
failed to get passed at the last session.
or some political grievance to get adjusted,
or some friend whom he wants 10 put into
office. Simmer the thing Iown ana IND
out how many Individual members are
without one or more of these incentives
Fredericksburg Free LANCE
Let us be fair. esteemed contemporary
We thirk that the editor OF the Lynch
| burg News has made II quite clear tnat
TIA SSorfolk convention did not mean to
| nfe5ce the party not to call an extra ses-
| son.
ART,EI,NI A'rH