The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-23
ROOSEVELT lind BRYAN
BETTER MEN THAN ABRAHAM,
ISAAC AND JACOB, SAYS REV.
8. G.. SMITH
ANALYSIS OF THE LEADERS
Their Prominence Reflects the Bet
ter Sentiment Which Demands
Cleaner Methods In Ma
tionaI Politics.

welt and Bryan" his text being 1. John,
H., ID: ST have written unto you young
men, because ye are strong" He said.
in part:
The subject chosen for this morning la
| the moral significance of Gov. Roosevelt
and Mr.. Bryan. Such Cheme at Such
| time is not beyond the reach or I'm
! friendly criticism. 1t might have been
the moral significance of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob. That would have been per-
| fectly harmless, and beyond criticism
But, then, half of you would not have
been here, and 1 have some important
things TO say to you. Besides, both Roose-
welt and Bryan are better men than were
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The two men in America today who
are capable Of arouSing the greatest pop
ular enthusiasm are the two Of whom
am speaking. Nor is this because they
nave each been nominated TO high office
by great political party. In each case
the ablest and shreWdeSt party leaders
would have preferred to name some
other candidate. They were not named
manipulation, but were the spontaneous
offering Of the popular viii, before which
leaders and conventions bowed in sub
mission. Let US turn aside, and see this
great thing that has happened, and ask
the inner meaning Of the picturesque
fact.
The partisans of neither man will be
entirely satisfied that they are grouped
together, and treated somewhat alike.
Some will see moral significance In the
one, and some will see it in the other,
but l am inclined to think it Is because
tney nave so much In common that 1t is
the vice president Of one party and the
president Of the other party whose names
are on mems lips. If We can see the
source OF their strength, it will shed light
upon national conditions, and furnish in
struction for ambitious men.
Inc first significant thing to be noted
Is that they are both educated young
Sntta Gil oil tJo,,,
tnls mas not been pre-eminently the age
OF young men, Rather it Is that never
pefore in the worlds history have old
men been quite so important in all places
pury and Crispi are names Suggestive of
the fact. The other day the leading
99TIe9ach her In America, DR.. r, S. Storrs,
preacher In London today is over seventy
years OLD. Similar Illustrations might he
found in all walks Of life
IN In afe,r yop paaa, men are 50 significant
young men. There never was a time in
the worlds history when careful training
LOT work counted for SO much. This
Ican politics. The country has become so
sreat, It's problems are so important and
% complex, that men to be leaders in
SSiid5Is must De those who have studied
fundamentally the questions of the hour
"A new seriousness Is falling upon fha
people, and old campaign Jokes and mere
innammatory oratory are to give place
Of principles 1iolA
but they are young men of fine phv.
S Slt4 ana great endurance. The wonder
Lul campaign made by Mr. Bryan four
years ago, merely regarded as a fri,1rorb
OF physical endurance, was one of tba
most remarkable things in the n6fittnai
history Of this or any other eountrU
t " llen ~ l was boy our elders used to say
that there was nothing finer for a. boy
Titan az good education. 1t was a treasure
IKE the pearl of price for which ali else
IN nlI tg Wei be sacrificed If he also had
serve to win. But very little was eVe,.
pau PAU 4oout the enormous value of good
ne9IIh. The gospel Of hygiene was not
w %tGelS PfeaGhed: The recent growth of
d. d. L5IIetlGS INDICATES a new appreciation Of
oiu values. The consumptiVe saint gives
place TO the man who can row and Rfclr
II IS not without a color Of reason that
honors In athletics are regarded as val
liable by college men, For Character IL
an easter acquisition to thodA who have
good RED blood, and brains arg multiplied
aor G, the man man VINO has solid muscle and
a sound heart. The men of whom we ara
speaking are neither of them men of the
highest rank In intellect They are not
Pthlaiosophers in politics, nor do they have
Inc Inc steaalness of judgment that would
best guide affairs in delicate crisis. huf
they spring. into the arena like noble
young Greeks, with rhythmic pulses and
p r,islr alIarne. TO stir the populace by the
new tlme lays heavy burdens upon the
pouy' ana other things being equal sue
cess Is to be commanded by those who
can digest three good meals a day and
sleep eight good hours at night
But there is moral significance in the
splendid self-control of the two vounr
men soIlad aney are NJ, men of good habits and
rough IN his capacity for hard tasks.
Inc charge at San Juan represented a
oody that had received intelligent care,
temple of the Holy Ghost Mr.. Bryan
could never have performed his cs-~at
iaoors OF the past four years had ne not
learned lf tlt to keep his body under.'' one
this state said to me: II never drink
When am In campaign, though I am
not a total abstainer." They are men %
k E9 none me- ana the Preside We will never
W92manhood has had to do with the de-
Eelopment and sanctity Of their splendid
force of body and mind
Lhey are both comparatively poor NOT
only SO, but the public Is taken into +hajr
confidence In this matter Bryan saws ha
Is worth not more than $4,000 or $40, 900
ana a. IL 6'ooseEeit pleaded that he ought not
70 pc Nominated because he would have
TO IlVe plainly In Washington. 1t seems
Important to let the people know thai
they are not rich. Does this mean that
me man with a barrel is not anv longer
available in American politics? The TTr7it
ed states senate has long been renro.nb.
cd with being the rich mans club tho1gh
! uLere are some marked exceptions and
now are we TO understand that wealth
IS no longer necessary to promotion ~
the highest places? -
AS rule the people devoted to the fin
est issues of life must be debarred fro-o
making much money. This is not ba-
cause of lower capacity, but because of
larger aims: Is this also to be true Of
0 our, po.Itlcs II So it would mean the
regeneration of the people. 1t wouW
seem, then, that the dominance of Roosa-
welt and Bryan presents fresh and fsgh
er Phase OF American life There IS q
new note here that the young politician
may do well TO listen to- and ask him
sell II he can keep step to the new music.
The old tricks Of tho manipulation of
ca1cIses aid conventions, the mere noise
ana degradation Of the merry rounder.
are perhaps to be supplanted by other
ana larger methods. The good fellow
Is to make room for the wise man Tine
smart man. worshipped by us SO long.
and well, is to be bowed out to give place
TO the man who can be trusted. For
Nhatever may be thought of the political
programme which either man stands for,
:! do not think there can be a reasonable
doubt that both men are thoroughly hon
est. And at any rate, whether honest
they would at once lose their power did
rot their followers believe implicitly in
their sincerity.
Those who have watched campaigns in
european countries cannot have failed
to note the greater dignity and sense Of
responsibility under which the leaders
are over, and, in time to come, I am
much mistaken IL our politics are not
TO enter a realm where neither money
nor offices nor drinks are 70 be "a no.
tential as hitherto. There are not enough
to go round. and all the people are com
ing TO see that their interests are bound
up With decency and honor
a., NOW, may be permitted to say that in
the public mind Roosevelt stands for one