The Elk Mountain pilot., 1900-09-11
PROPHETS ANDPROPHECY
States Acquired by Purchase With
out the Consent of the Governed.
Especial Correspondence

be a keynote for the present campaign.
1t is worthy of study, as it is one of
the most painstaking efforts ever is
sued by this new school of politics.
Yet like all political utterances, it is
an eX parte statement composed of
about equal parts of charges against
the Republicans an6 promises of what
the Democrats will do in the event of
Bryan's election.
The Democratic candidate is an ex-
perienced promiser and political proph-
ct and both promises and prophesies
are matters of record He speaks also
not only for himself alone, but for
his party and his statements must be
weighed by the actions of his party
in the past.
Four years ago this young prophet
of the West declared that the gold
standard would make it necessary to
advocate the closing of the public
schools. (MonmOuth, Illinois, speech.)
To-day under the gold standard there
are more schools and better ones than
ever before. The prophesy was false.
In his speech of acceptance he said:
"Some argue that American rule in
the Philippine islands will result in
the better education of the Filipinos.
Be not deceived. If we expect to main
IL
find it to our advantage to educate the
people"
This assertion must have been whis-
pered into the speech by the Southern
wing of the party who openly declare
that they are tired of paying taxes to
educate the negro who by education
simply becomes greater rogue. Bry-
an affirms that the Republicans would
do with the brown man what the
Democrats are now doing with the
black man. Then by n peculiar mental
process which it is impossible to fol
low. he pillories the Republicans for
what he affirms they will do and in
dorses the Democrats because they
have done the same thing. One course
of conduct is fact, the other is sim
ply assumed.
Four years ago Bryan said "the gold
standard would destroy the hope of
the toiler it would destroy the oppor-
tunity to work, it would increase the
number of idle men, it would discour-
age enterprise, it would paralyZe indus
try
Economic conditions to-day prove
the falsity of every one of these proph-
estes. The toilers have hope, there is
opportunity to work, there are fewer
idle men. enterprise has not been dis
couraged and industry has not been
paralyZed.
Mr.. Bryan, however, has fallen into
the habit of issuing lamentations and
while not making so many financial
predictions fearful and dark, trimmed
with ruined homes and starving free
men. he scars to n higher plane-money
in 1900 is filthy lucre-and assures us,
after his political halo has been rebur-
nished by the Kansas City convention.
that If he is not elected celebrations
of the Fourth of July will pass away"
Is it surprising that the people refuse
to scare? Indeed past experience has
led them to believe that the reverse of
the predictions of the prophet is that
which will surely come to pass.
He also asks in rounded periods:
"yvho will draw line between the
natural rights of the Cubans and the
Filipinos? Who will say that the
former have right to liberty and
the latter have no rights we are bound
to respectr'
Now had he asked those questions
with reference to the negroes of Mis-
sissippi and North Carolina, the an
swer would have been easy for the
white Democrats of those states, who
shoot, terrify and disfranchise the ne
gro in open violation of the spirit and
express words of the constitution of
the United States. They can answer,
as they are specialists in defining
rights which they refuse to respect.
and Mr.. Bryan is the man who hopes
to profit by their methods that disgrace
the states which will send solid dele
cations to Congress by the suppression
of the Republican vote.
That part of Bryan's address, how
ever, most open to criticism is where
he defines his Philippine policy. When
Aguinaldo learns of that utterance he
will continue his guerrilla warfare
against the American flag until after
the November election. and in the event
of Bryans triumph for eight months
longer.
Whatever may be the opinion of Con
gress in the matter. Bryan as the COM
mander-in- chief of the army and navy,
could suspend hostilities and recall our
forces. Indeed he stands pledged to
do that very thing. This is giving aid
and comfort to the enemy.
In 1903 Jefferson paid Napoleon the
Great S15,0OO.OOO for Louisiana and the
sale conveyed sovereign rights over all
the population. both savage and civil
lied, of that great territory, and they
were not asked to consent to The trans
fer. Had they rebelled they would
have been forced to recognize the SOW
ereignty of the United States. "The
consent of the governed was not taken
into, account, and yet our title to that
vast territory is considered valid.
Sixteen years later the United States
purchased Florida from Spain. With
the sale went the right to control or
govern the people who lived therein.
Five million dollars were paid. and
General Jackson was sent tO poyarn
the territory. Had the people rebelled
it is not difficult to imagine what Old
Hickory would have done, and had
Atkinson or Bryan gone about preach
ing resistance they would have been
OBLIGED TO have kent q good distance