Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-14
The Bryan Craze.

Mr. BRYAN affects some men like a craze.
They appear to be positively daft on the
subject of his personality. Not without
claims to consideration when they discuss
men and affairs in general. when they speak
of him they lose all sense of proportion anu
responsibility and talk like those possessed
Their support of him has become species
Of worship. They magnify him. They bow
down before him. They call upon him for
relief as though he sat upon throne ana
commanded all things.
Take for example this extract from the
speech of Senator Allen placing Mr.. Bryan
In nomination at Sioux Falls:
There is but one name in the hearts of
the American people and one name on the
lips of the people for President of the
United States and in the man whose name
] about To mention there is embodied
al that is good in the American citizen
ali that is pure and all that Is lofty. He
Is statesman of ripe experience. philoSo-
phcr and orator without Il peer on this OF
any other continent Fearless and welded
to the interests of this nation. he would
MAKE an ideal President of these United
States. Since the election of 1S6 but one
name has been connected with the candi-
dacy for that office. This man is the en-
lodiment of all that opposes plutocracy,
the embodiment of all that opposes greed.
He is in my judgment clearly the great
est American citizen of the age. As an
d
equal Of Webster and of Clay, If he is not
their superior.
Let US make liberal allowance for the ex-
travagance always exhibited in political
conventions when favorites are presented
for consideration. and yet what arrant nom
Sense is left in this. Mr. Bryan, SO far
from being "a statesman of ripe eXpe-
rience.'' has had next to no experience at
all in craftsmanship. As a member of the
House he connected his name during his
two terms with but one piece of legislation
and that was the Gorman-Wilson tariff
bill-the most disastrous botch of bill
ever prepared by men holding public COM
missions 1t ruined business for time. and
It was the strongest force that operated to
hurl the democratic party from power.
Is Mr.. Bryan a philosopher? OF what
school? And when We're philosophy and
successful stump speaking ever SO closely
allied before? Ordinarily they mix as oil
and water do. Is Mr.. Bryan scholar?
He makes no such claims for himself. He
probably chuckles to himself when the
term is applied even 10 round out cam
paisu eulogy. Is he the greatest of living
orators. and does he top Webster and Clay.
who are gone? In the language of the
poet. rats, Mr.. Bryan is a smooth and
captivating speaker. but he has at least
twenty equals in his own party alone, not
to mention the republican party, which is
long just now on orators of a most ex-
ceient grade
This fiubdub of Mr. Bryan's chief populist
lieutenant would count for little II it did
NOT express in way sentiments entertained
for him 10y many populists and democrats
alike. Wherever his supporters are found
they feel for him. and declare. a like rever-
euce. He is accepted the sum Of human
wisdom. Finance? He knows it all, al
though the developments of the past three
years have shown that in 1896 he was
stronger TO the subject The tariff? He
knows il all, although he helped to frame
and 10 pass the Gormau-Wison bill. Ex-
pdnsipn? He knows ii all. although he has
been - busy campaigning since that sub
ject became important he has not had a
moments time to give to an exclusive
study Of il.
And this is the man whom so many men
would call to the presidency at time when
a statesman Of real ripeness, real expe-
rence. and real sOberness of view and
statement Is absolutely necessary to the
needs of the country and TO the formula
ton and forwarding Of sound policies!