Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1900-09-13
LETTER OF MR.. n
Full Text of His Argument In
Favor of Bryan.

New York, Sept. GA full copy
was obtained to-day of the letter
written by Hon. Richard Olney,
Secretary of State in President
Cleveland's last Administration, de-
~claring for Bryan in this campaign.
1t is addressed to Ell. L.. Nelson, OF
New Rochelle, N. Y. The complete
letter is as follows:
"Boston, % Court street, Aug. IA.
'.Dear Sir: Ihave yours of the 18th
ultimo. You refer to a previous con-
~versation in which I had minated
my intention to vote the Democratic
ticket at the coming Presidential
election and ask for nay grounds for
so doing. You urged at our inter
view that such q decision should, as
q matter of duty, be accompanied by
% willingness to avow the reasons
behind it, 7 recognize the force OF
that view, and though it is against
my inclination and habits, I proceed
to state some considerations which
seem TO me to justify the purpose i
have formed.
IT need hardly say that MI. Bryan
lis not the candidate / should choose
could I have my way in the matter,
and that ] entirely dissent from
parts of the Kansas City platform.
But in laying his cours upon the
An-important subject to the Presi-
dency q citizen is bound to bear in
mind that he is dealing with q prac-
tical matter, and must seek the best
practical methods as r available.
Parties cannot be ignored, for exam
pie, because ours is a government Of
parties; the real issue is which of
them shall control, and individual
effort independent of party must at
best be abortiye, while it may fur
Their the success of the worst party
in the field.
$50 the choice between the par
ties, one Of which must certainly
prevail, calls for the exercises OF the
same sound common nse Perfec-
ton in a candidate or platform is al
idle dream, and infrmities in it's
creeds and defects in it's leadership
will always characterize every party
But they IN no wise excuse a citizen
from taking his assigned part IN the
government of the country-frOn
making up his mind what the com
mon veal demands and what party's
success will come nearest satisfying
the demand, and from using his in
fuence and casting his vote accord
ingly. If n citizen may properl.
withhold his vote, logically all may
stopped, while to decline voting be
cause practically assured that other
will vote is but to give the latter al
=audue share of political power an6
to forfeit the right to complain o
any abuse of it.
N'The obligations of citizenship ar
avoided, not performed, by standin:
neutral in an election. The votin
power is a trust which calls for us
and is violated by the neglect to use
There is always a choice between tn
ency and those of it's opponent, an
therefore the true ques ion befor
every citizen always is of the geners
attitude of a party upon the vital i
sues of the day, and whether. in vie
of that attitude, it's success is not tx
best thing in sight.
"Such is the real issue now co.
fronting every American citizen. I
it admitted that the Democrat
party, its platform and it's candida
are open to much just criticism, ye
all things considered, would not i
triumph be the best outcome of II
present Presidential contest?
In my judgment it would be- /
my Judgment nothing is now SO il
portant as that the American pc
pie should take this their first o
portunity to emphatically prote
against that excrescence upon orie
nal Republicanism which may !
called McKinleyism-a term us
solely for breyity and not becau
Mr.. Mckinley is largely responsit
for what it comprehends, except
he has proved himself unable or i
willing to resist the pressure of t
political and personal friends or