Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-09-06

SlaHHaEaSlo De maintained IN the cOun-
try longer than I am able to set rid
of it,
a HOLLOW CAMPAIGN ISSUE.
The New York Tribune calls atten-s
tion to the altered spirit manifested by
Col. Bryan in his effort to infuse life
into an issue that refuses to take on
excitatior. The Tribune says:
Tho similar in many of their aspects,
the presidential campaign of 1886 and
that nowsin progress offer some instruc-
tive contrasts Not the least significant
of these Sia suggested by the altered
spirit and slackened vigor which have
marked the democratic-populis.- silver
republican candidates second canNa %.
Four years ago Col. Rryanis leadership
challenged amazement, If not admira
ton, thru its aggresslveness, its fervor,
Its fiery and unfolding radicaiis.n Ex-
plotting an issue which appealed to the
liiscontented, the envious and the inca
pabl of all classes. the Nebraska orator,
infused a sinister vitality into the fusion
campaign OF 1886 which is likely TO give
ut q unique place in the history of presi-
dental contests. AS Senator Hale justly.
/ remarked on the stump the other day in
Maine. it was the personal dash and en-.
l3ersy of this hitherto obscure Nebraska
1 politician which. four years ago. when
+ other democratic leaders admitted
Themselves hopelessly beaten on old is-s
I siies, raised new issue compelled the
lsyttal issue and then precipitated per-
he a.
NO political parties have known b
But title Of the spirit Of the 1896 cam
! Ilaisn survives in Col. Bryan's studied
platform efforts this Year TO sevade the.
issue of silver imitation and to stir the
Of his5heare,s with visions
Eof an line capitalized" republic. saddled
with the burdens Of militarism' and
/ subject to the Whimsof one-man power.
iTo plead a cause with ardor and per-.
even a professional orator
must embrace 1t with some measure of
1 sincerity and nviction, and hottest of
4 Col. Bryan faith in the new para
i mount issue canjured up at Kansas
tSCity could be nor. con elusive thar the
i altered tone or nGrection and calcua-
/ tion which has run thru all the speeches
/ he has made this year. He may parade
i his stuffed bogies Of Imperialism and
''lnilitarisn1. and herald the approach
II OF an American emperor; but ungues-
! tienably he has to pinch himself from
i time to time TO be assured that his elo-
4 quence is real, not somnambulistic. As
i a prominent German American leader
lin Indiana said the other day, however
slsred Col. Bryan may get in the face, he
4 knows and everybody knows that if
4 there We're any danger OF empire, true
4 Americans would be busily organizing
! and plotting in every back room and
q private office. not being carried in ex-
Il cursion trains to hear "ilnperialism'' de-
4 nounced in public halls by candidates.
4 for Office or by party spellbinders whose
4 patriotism is&remunerated at so much
4 an hour.
4 In the mouth of a born phra semaker
4 like Col. Bryan no political issue could
i appear wholly extraYagantor fictitious
4 Entrusted to less skllfui advocates its
Il ho!lowness becomes more painfully APP
j parent. AT Sedalia, Mo-, recently ex-
4 Vive President Adlai Z. Stevenson had
a the misfortune to be Interrupted in the
4 middle Of an earnest speech by an UNI
Ii timely downpour. His hearers began tc
4 run for shelter. To check their flight
1.-The ex-yice8 president remarked senten-
ttt'oGSist ~ SHas'. ~ ~ Sdsy 70 6et d uSh
ssuit of clothes. but 1t will nor be Sc
Il easy to restore the republic" But the
4 Sedalia patriots scattered all the same
q sensibly considering that wet clothes
We're a peril far more imminent. more
genuine and more substantial than any
4 present prospect Of an American EN-.
i pire. There s. indeed. no room in oul
4 politics today for 30 shadowy and fan
q tastic rallying cry as Republic
q Against Empire!!" Both American hui
NOR and common sense revolt at 1t.
shalloWness. and the effects of THE re.
volt are nowhere more clearly seen thar
\ in the labored and apologize tone which
4 the Democratic presidential candidate
II has been driven to assume since the
A Kansas City platform makers burdened
g him with a paramount issue as i'm.
4 practicable az 1t IL depressing and de.
y fenaive.