The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-15

The New York Tribune" is unduly ex-
ercised over the danger that Mr. Bryaa
may incur by swapping" issues during
the campaign. Ii intimates that Mr.. Bry-
ans peculiar hobby is the coinage issue
and apprehends that he may lose stand
ing with the Silver Republicans and Popu-
lists by reason of the emphasis he mas
placed upon the paramount question oil an
ti-impsrialism. If the Tribune" will but
refresh its memory it viii discover that
Mr.. BRYAN is not a man of single idea,
and il will find, too, that for the past
eighteen months, in his speeches and writ
ings. he has given more attention TO i'm
perialism and coIonialism than all other
subjects combined. In his efforts to secure
the ratification of the treaty with Spain
he urged from the first that our duty to
ourselves and to the Filipinos was to aid
them in the establishment Of self-govern-
ment in the Islands. We could well rely
on the resources of such government for
reimbursement of the twenty millions
paid Spain; or We might advance this
sum without expectation Of its repay
rnent in order 10 end the war. inasmueh
as the cost of maintaining the military
establishment on war footing would ex-
coed the amount TO be paid Spain under
the treaty From the date of the treaty
to the present he has been insistent on
his original position. He, indeed. gave
the subject of Imperialism and mlitarism
the prominence which eliminated in the
paramount plank at Kansas City.
But even If he had been less identified
with this issue even had be favored
more diversified field. his party had made
the one question paramount, and in con-
centrating his fire on Imperialism he was
loyalty pursuing the plan laid out by his
party's convention, and no just criticism
can be made that in temporarily leaving
the other articles of faith in the back
ground. he has thereby ignored or egaded
any issue.
In his forthcoming addresses at Topeka,
accepting the other nominations, it is
probable that he will be more eomprehen-
siye in his range OF discussion. There is
nothing so far in Mr.. Bryan's record more
Characteristic of the man than his aversion
to everything that savors OF swapping"
or trimming in order to secure politi-
cal advantage. In fact, he has often been
criticised being too candid for his own
gcod-too little of a politician.
While in this campaign especial promi-
hence will in all sections OF the country be
given to the subjects of imperial SIN, mill
tlrism. and the ascendancy OF the trusts
under the Republican administration. there
is no reason Why other issues should not
receive the consideration that each voter
for himself may regard as important The
currency question, which the Republicans
f the East are so anxious to introduce. is
an economic one. II after full trial the
present system is proven satisfactory. there
sill be slight disposition to change it. IT.
or the other hand. it should prove made
, qyste to the needs OF domestic and foreign
trade. the question of an improved system
matter what may be the result of this cleo
| ton. Men. therefore, .may be for or against
! the gold standard, as the financial situation
now appears to them, and yet with perfect
| consistency unite in a common resistanc.
TO the threatened subversion of the funda-
version OF a democratic Republic into a
plutocratic Empire.
The President has no power In himself 10
change the standard of our currency; but
the President has, according to the Repub-
| lican doctrine, in the absence OF Congress