New-York tribune., 1900-08-14
DANGER IN SHOPPING ISSUES.

In his ostentatious study OF Lncolns
speeches and sayings Colonel Bryan must have
Overlooked that famous aphorism about the
danger of swopping horses while crossing a
stream. Had he profited by It's homely wisdom
he probably would not have made so shifty and
on the whole so futile an effort last week at
indianapolis to swop issues in the thick OF
Presidential campaign. How far the Nebraska
leader was sincere in relegating all other issues
to the past and assaillng the party in power
for the one paramount" dereliction of govern
ing without the consent of the governed time
and his further stump deliverances alone will
show. 1t seems incredible. however, that as
the Presidential candidate of three distinct pO-
litcal parties whose only common programme
Is the debasement of the National currency,
Colonel Bryan can long ignore, or wish to ig-
more. the single vital principle on which he can
appeal alike for Democratic Populist and Sill
yer Republican support
Eastern Democratic newspapers, congratulate
ing themselves that the financial hereses Of
1896 found no welcoming word in the recent
Indianapolis address, were careful to omit the
speakers predatory comment that the other
issues of the campaign would be discussed with
equal fulness in his formal letter of acceptance
Whatever sanguine Eastern Democrats may
try TO believe, it is hard to see how Colonel
Bryan can abandon the political issue with
which his whole career and fortunes have been
bound up. Nor is it likely when he appears at
Topeka on August % to say his THANK you
to the Populist Notification Committee that
he will be deferred by anything that happened
at Indianapolis from rechampOning the OBJ
noxious cause of silver inhation--a cause he
forced six weeks ago upon the Kansas City
Convention, obviously against its judgment or
consent.
CuriOusy, however, the Democratic candi-
dates real or apparent haste TO "swop issues
has made trouble for him in a quarter where
he probably least expected it. The emphasis
laid by Colonel Bryan at Indianapolis on the
"anti-imperialstc" phase of his canvass has
set to thinking the elements in the triple coali-
ton which have sympathy with or interest
in the political vagaries declared by the plat
form makers at Kansas City to be of para
mount Importance" If the one purpose for
which the Democratic, Popust and Silver
Republican organizations combined is to be
obscured by the new propaganda of "anti-im-
perialism,' what bond is left to hold the three
free coinage parties in union? The question is
being answered by daily accessions to the Re-
publican ranks in the Western States most
welded heretofore to the silver heresy. Last
week Lee Mantle, the former Silver Republican
Senator from Montana. announced his return
The Denver Times" A. NJ. Stevenson, the
official head of the Silver party in Colorado and
the manager of Senator Tellers successful can
vass for reelection four years ago. formally
severed his relations with the Fusion forces to
become a straightout Republican, AS Mr.
Stevenson put it in his letter of resignation:
II have always adhered to the declaration that
I'VE were Republicans on all other questions
"but the financial one. l am not Democrat.
''I RIa anaexpansionist believe in the greater
"greatness Of my country. And it seems to me
that the time has come when we must be
either Democrats or Republicans
Colonel Bryan's real or pretended about face
at indianapolis will suggest the same con-
clusion to thousands of Fusionists In the Far
Western States. On the other hand, to renew
agitation Of the silver question would make
his chances hopeless in the East and Middle
West. Between two such unmanageable issues
the adventurous Nebraska rider will be lucky
If he finish the campaign without altogether
losing his seat