The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-10-31
CURRENT COMMENT.
A DIsCREDIrED PROPHET.
(From the Detroit JournaI)

-Four years ago Mr.. Bryan had the
country guessing; there is no doubt
whatever about that. Hard times were
upon US. Many Of US analysed the stu
alton and convinced yourselves that the
condition resulted from Democratic tink-
ering with the tariff laws and from the
spread OF distrust OF our financial system
which Mr.. Cleveland had started borrow
Ing money in time of peace to protect the
credit of the government Others ana
| lyzed the situation and came to the con-
clusiOn that hard times resulted largely
from scarcity OF primary money. MIR.
Bryan came forward with remedy radi-
cal and far-reaching. He invited US to
try his remedy, saying that the chances
were Is to that his remedy was right.
He staked his reputation as a political
economist on the prediction that If Nc
Kinley were elected the shops would all
close, misery would stalk the land. adj
yerslty would visit Us with tenfOld sever
ity and we would manufacture nothing
at home, but buy foreign manufactures
gold would appreciate IN value; the price
Of wheat would fall; farm produce would
rot IN the Cellars and granaries OF the
farmers; labor would be idle and the
poor would be begging aims in every vii
lage and hamlst in the country. He
made other predictions Of the dire eonse-
Gu 9nces that would follow the election Of
mckinley. The people inclined an ear to
him as q prophet and many put their
trust in his prophecies.
The majority Of the people, however,
distrustful Of his party, supported as It
was by all the restless and discontinued
elements OF society, decided to return the
Republican party to power. They made
no mistake, Every one Of the prophecies
made by Mr.. Bryan have failed Of full
hIlment. Instead of hard times, we have
had unexampied good times. Instead of
buying all our goods wares and merchan-
dis5 from foreigners, We have sold in q
single year four hundred millions Of dol
lars worth more than We have bought
Only last month the excess OF exporta-
tiOns over impOrtations was sixty mil
lions, or at the rate OF seven hundred and
twenty millions year. Everybody is at
work and prosperity smiles wherever the
flag is floating In the air.
Mr.. Bryan IS prOphesying again this
year. He is not predicting Industrial
distress, however, but the downfall of
the republic. He is prOoIaimIng to the
people II they do not elect him President
the foundations Of the republic will
orumble and disintegrate because the
government under Mckinley is suppress
sing a revolt IN the Philippines and try
ing to establish q government OF the
archipelago through which the lnhabi-
tants will have ali the blessings of liberty
which we enjoy. he WAS a bad prophet
tour years ago, What reason have we to
esteem him a good prophet noWg Why
should we turn back the current OF pros
perity, threaten our industrial system
with paralysis and invite probable inan-
ciaI dem oraIization to give dignity to the
calamityite prophecies of u discredited
prophet?
Why should we stake all We cherish on
the chance Of his being right when before
US on every hand are the proofs OF his
unreliabiIity as a prophet? Out of the
sixteen chances he had of being right
four years ago he won on no single point.
Is he any safer as a leader and seer now
than he was then?