The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-07-18
TIE WATCHMArr AND sOUTHRON. JULY 18. 1900.

and am no more authorized 10 speak
for him than is any other Democrat in
good standing. but If The CID. is really
hankerinr for joint debate in which
Bryan shall figure can suggest one
which will add to the gayety of ma
ticns. Let William Mckinley and Will
liam J. Bryan have one joint discussion
in each Of the 45 states Of the Union.
l am absolutely certain that Bryan will
accept. Can The CD. bring William
of Canton to the scratch? l trow not
and why not? Because The CD, knows
full we'll that Mckinley can't hold q
candle to Bryan in full and COM
prehensiye discussion of the issues
now before the American people.
l feel so certain that Bryan and
Democrats generally would favor
discussion between the presi-
dental candidates that. While
am rot authorized to speak for the
Democratic national committee, and
while that committee Is not burdened
with funds, feel perfectly safe in say
ing that rather than not have these 40
debates between Pryan and Mckinley
the Democrats will defray the entire
expense of the performance. # we
can't get the necessary money any
other way, we will raise it by popular
Democratic subscription. The poorest
Democrat in the land would be willing
to contribute his mite in order to see
the peerless Nebraskan thrmp the
present occupant of the White House.
This Bryan-Mckinley oratorical
scrapping match would attract more
attention than any debate that ever
took place on earth. and The CD. will
miss the greatest opportunity Of its
career if it fails to join ne il the eff
fort to pull it off.
The Open Door In China.
4 recent declaration by q high Re
publican official at Washington recalls
the famous lines which Bret Harte
puts into the mouth Of Truthful James:
Do sleep? Do dream?
Do wonder ard doubt?
Are til;-r: w:,a. they sccl::,
oT are visions about?
Is our civilization ;ail,,re.
Oc IS the Caucasian PLAYED out?
Tie aforesaid declaration Of the high
Republican official is. in words and
figures. as follows-to Wit:
The SO called guarantees relative to
the open door in China arc not worth
the paper they are writtel en-
Jupiter olympus. What are We COM
ing to? For many moons we have
been told, with frequent and monot-
ocous iteration. that the achievement
OF the open door was of itself alone
amply sufficient TO secure an immor-
tality Of glory for this Republican ad-
ministration At the annual banquet
OF the merchants and manufacturers
Of Baltimore last spring | heard my
brilliant and expansive friend, Hon.
Charles Emory Smith, postmaster gen
eral Of the United States. laud it to
the skies as the summum bonum OF
all diplomacy and in rhapsody OF
iridescent rhetoric place William Nc
kinley and Mr.. Secretary Of State
John Hay on the pinnacle Of fame for
having negotiated it. General Smith IS
a handsome man. q preposseSslnS gen
tleman. an artist in the Use Of words.
and he enthuscd his audience ard car
ried it Of its feet. or. rather. out Of It's
seats on to its feet. as he pictured IN
gorgeous colorS how we We're. one ana
all. to be made rich beyond the dreams
Of avaricc by reason OF the open door
policy. | confess that was SO wrought
upon by his flights of Imagination and
clooucGce that | began in my mind to
figure out the date when | could quit
practicin. law and lecturins and go
to living in clover on MY part OF the
divvv Of the illimitable wealth to come
tc Us through this much vaunted open
door, / lived in ecstasy for weeks
afterward Now comes this cold blood
ed, hcartleSS. unimasinative. matter Of
fact high Republican official" at
Washington and pulls the underpn-
ming out from under General Smiths
air castles il China as ruthlessly rs
blind Samson pulled down the temple
by pulling down the pillars that held
it up. feel sad sense Of personal
bereavement as l see my individual
portion Of wealth through the open
DOOR rccedinS in the dim distance.
And so the guarantees Of the open
door are not worth the paper on
which they are writtcn:' Too bad.
One by one the roses fall. ''The high
Republican Official who ruined Cen
cral Smiths speech and blasted my
hopes ought TO be prosecuted for lcZe
majesty.
The Ticket.
1t is useless to sly that Bryan.S nom
ination is strong and popular one.
Also the platform is strong AID DoDu-
Tar. 1t is generally conceded that tie
nomination Of .Adlai L. Stevenson for
vice president strengthens the ticket
greatly in that section Of the country
,,-bo,o T. ,,oct nao3S NOT baDJn0