The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-23
VitrioIic Estimate of the Ora
toricaI NebraSkan
BY THE ELOQUENT KANSAN
Before the Union League Club
in Brooklyn.

scathing personal sizing-up of the man
Bryan and no less keen analysis of the
politician Bryan and his campaign stock
in trade. Mr. Burton took issue direct
Iy with Mr.. Bryan on the latter's fire.
quendy reiterated assertion that the Re
publican party 'exalts the dollar above
the man." thence proceeding to investi-
gate the grounds of this dogma as it
crops up in Mr.. Bryan's positions on in
come tax, silver, trusts and imperial
ism; Mr.. Burton said in part:
Organism is a imposition Of Demo-
cratic and PopuBstic errors. 1t IS a
product Of fusion The unitin of parties
on the same candidate is an unnatural
and unholy alliance that has produced
Organism. Organism is the mule in poll
tics It kicks, it brays, but it cannot
boast of it's ancestry, nor take pride
in its posterity. Bryan has been the
reatest champion of fusion. In his own
state ut dominates the Democrat and
Populist parties, as well as that small
faction calm itself Silver Republicans
He does not organize these into one par
ty. That would mean defeat, but he
unites them on the candidates; that gives
a better chance for victory With three
tickets and one candidate the more ig-
norant and prejudiced voter can be led
to believe that he is voting his principles,
While the per cent Of mistakes in mark
ing tickets alone will turn the scale in
a close contest The chief element Of
fusion is hypocrisy, the assumption Of
superior virtue while practiclng decep-
ton Fusion is more corrupting than the
outright purchase Of votes, for the latter
is confessedly a pollution Of the ballot,
while the former, under the guise Of vir-
tue, teaches that principle may be sacri-
feed for success.
Bryan developed in Nebraska in the
slough of a great commercial collapse.
Coins Financial School was the insanity
of the boom turned to politics, and Bryan
is the valedictorian of that school. He
took the honors of his class. In name
he is a Democrat; at heart he IS a Popu-
list The Democratic party cannot exist
without a popular idol. Bryan has kept
himself in the popular eye. He and his
friends control the Democratic organiZa-
Democrats see no other man. The small
err class Of thinking Democrats are pow
erless before him. They know he ought
not to be the candidate. yet they know
he will be nominated. Hence, they are
apathetic, and are waiting for his second
defeat looking beyond for a reorgani-
ton of their party when Organism shall
have passed away.
bryan IS a peculiar. and, in some re-
spects. a. remarkable man. He is a force
full advocate and poor judge; he is deft
in turning a point. clever in fanacy, but
has a, poor eve for the truth; he feels
deeply and thinks lightly; he is long on
theories and short on facts; he finds
fault like a Democrat, and proposes rem
edies like a Populist; he is not a bad man
at heart; but his teachings are wholly
vicious.
Another trait of Bryan is his inordi-
nate vanity He. has often compared
himself with Lincoln, jefferson and Jack
son. not. perhaps, in explicit terms, but
bv necessary inference. A casual glance
at either Of these illustrious characters
presents Mr.. Bryan only in contrast. But
on the 9th OF thi month. at Hartford,
Conn. Bryan bounded at one leap, if we
are to believe him, beyond all the great
men of thi and OF all other countries
and landed his personality by the side
Of Jesus Christ. In speaking Of himself
and Christ he makes our Savior suffer
by the comparison, as shown by the fol-
lowing thoughtless. If not sacrilegious,
1ltterance: II am conservative. / am
more conservative than Jesus Christ,
who drove the money changers out Of
/ the temple because they made il den o.
thieves. When I want to be severe, /
! quote the Nazarene, who spoke as no
/ man spake I quote His words against
/ the fnaniers Of Hartford. The wealth
/ Of riches chol1eth down the truth. Il
( is STRANGE. indeed. that such a man could
/ he the idol Of once great political party
! in this country. Out in Kansas, where
we try everything, there is man who
! IS about to try to edit daily paper for
( one week just as Jesus would have done
we're He the editor Some think that
IS quite an undertaking. But even Kan
/ sas has no man who claims that he could
+ heat Infinlty. Our neighboring state
( Nebraska. is entitled to whatever distinc-
ton she may gain by having citizen
who has put himself above our Savior
! The PonullSt party has discovered many
! strange freaks among mankind, but THIS
. IS the first time any of them has assumed
70 be greater than the Almighty
ct reme-rber q hearing an Arkansas
/ Democratic orator .cousoling an audienot
shortly after Bryan's defeat il 1875. H'
sold. ct is all right Don't make any
difference anyway. Il would have beer
ell the same had Bryan been eleected
The Republican PARTY has an the brain.
and ali the money. and had Ne electe-
BRYAN the Republicans would have own
81 him in less than year. do no
believe we captured Cleveland We hav'
never claimed him. In justification O
rhs Arkansas Democrat. Il might be sai'
that in iS92 Cleveland was a Tar uror'
popular idol with Democrats than WA.
BRYAN in 1926 o. a. this time. And. fur
tber. that the reputation g Mr. Cgeve
and for honesty then was quite ss 800,
as IS Bryan's now. But - be serious
DO not believe the American Pc 81
have ever elected Jiishouest mar p-esi
dent. and Z 90 not believe ehey ever VII
Nor 60 believe they have ever elec-es
q desnacozue president, nor Do I beilsv
they ever viii.
The principle topics Bryan Is nsET dis
c,,ssi,se III order 70 prove thu the Rsp.so
can party has exalted tts dollar 2hov'
the man. ara. an income tax, Trusts O
c5rraratsotls. free SILVER and imperialism
! 7Fa a.s S-,r1es tha1 an fnr1Tue tax s. right