The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-07
Lack OF ManIiness.

The conduct OF man after crusnths
| defeat Is a severe and not unfair test OF
(, his maniiness. Measured by this. Mr..
Bryan is found more wofuliy wanting
than even his speeches during the cam
| paign declared him to be- Allowances
| could be made then for heated express
sion. for exasgeration and for utterances
which at another season would be con-
| sidered unworthy But since the cleo
ton ne has contributed to tho North
American Review an article on the causes
Of his defeat which does him the gravest
discredit.
1t was hardly dignihed for man who
had been candidate fer the highest Of
foe In the land to rush forthwith into
print to tell how IT all happened. But
that coui. be forgiven If his analysis OF
the situation were thoughtful. truthful
and sincere. It is rather OF the nature
of another campaign document; an at
tempted justification Of failure, an at
tempted arraignment Of success.
Mr. Bryan admit, It Is true, that the
prosperity argument told most powerfully
against him But rs cannot rest there.
He proceeds. as II he were still upon the
stump. to argue why the Republican
party cannot be credited Justly with
bringing prosperity to the people. 1t
would be as foolish for any Republican
to argue upon one side of this thesis as
for MIR. Bryan to talk upon the other.
To the end of time governments will be
judged to some extent at least by the
material condition of the people. And
where orc set Of policies has been ac-
companiei with severe and general dis
tress. and the putting in force of their
opposites reverses conditions. the conciu-
possible to resist.
The least reputable part of his explana-
ton is that which credits his defeat to
the iiesitimate use of money and the
contributions OF the trusts. In view OF
the facts. Mr.. Bryan should be ashamed
to repeat this Islander upon country that
has treated him only too generously. IT
is known that the Democratic managers
never at any time suffered for lack of
may not be worth while at this time TO
inquire No doubt the trusts contributed
their quota. But the real point Is that
the use OF money played no appreeiaele
part In this election, and Mr.. Bryan
knows H.
Elections are not bought under the
Australian ballot. The great array OF
states and the nearly one million piu-
ralty OF voters who preferred Mr.. Nc
KinIey TO Mr. Bryan could scarcely be
Imagined purchaseable. hut. In addition
TO that. the Bryan losses were heaviest
In the states where no money was ex-
pended rs the Republican committee. be-
CAUSE they considered il useless. Many
OF the Eastern and Middle states.
whore II any where the influence Of wealth
and corporate power would BE- felt, went
tor Mckinley by reduced pluralities as
compared with iSss. But In the far West,
where Bryan sentimen; was supposed to
be supreme and, Republican campaign
committees had TO shift for themselves.
the Republican gains. ~ In Colorado.
uerc most marked
The truth is tina, there has seldom heen
a national election where Il WAS SO easy
/ TO place A anger on the actual causes u
the result. There are few men in tne
| tfnlted states who do not know what
! governed the American people on the ssh
| % November. The excellence q the Re
publican record and t.e party's policies
/ were the positive force. hut they We're
matched BY a negative almost as power
tui 1t was not free silver, 81 was no;
anti-expansion. it was not any one thing
which rvpened the people so strongly, but
the whole spirit and aim Of what has
been called ~Rryanism" af.l cannot be
atted BY any other name. The shif,iness.
the eyaslons. the reeklsssness 81 national
honor, the appeal L class hatred, the
socialistle nropaEanda--an as summed up
| IN the person and views Of Mr.. bryan
were repulsive to the very spirit Of
AmericAnism. II may be that We ought
not to expect Mr. Bryan to say 80 frank
b., But then nobody compelled him TO
write an article on the suoyeSt,
Time is a gres, adJuster Of rights and