Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-07-15
hKinIey and Roosevelt,
Bryan and Stevenson.
New York Journall

(New York Journal.)
Hhe Presidential campaign of 1900 is
under way. The leaders have been
Chosen and the lines OF battle drawn.
William Mckinley is primarily n
politician: He wears his principles
lightly. When he thought silver pop
ular he was free silver man. lie
voted for free coinage along with
Later he criticised the Democratic
party for not doing enough for silver
Ind told how much more the Repub-
leans would do II they were intrust-
eu WIN power. In the Republican con-
Ventlon four years ago he was afra id
10 have the word gold" mentioned.
NOW he is a partisan of the absolute
unmitigated. single gold standard
IN congress, when he had no Offices
TO distribute, Mr.. Mckinley was an ar
dent civil service reformer. He be-
came Governor OF Ohio and turned
over the helpless lunatics I'm the insane
asyiuils, and the inmates of all The
other state charitable institutions. TO
tne tender mercies of the spoiismcn.
When he was u candidate for Presi-
dcnt the first time he promised that
ne would take mo step backward" in
me matter of civil service reform.
When he took Office he became the
first President to take Il backward step
since the reform was first instituted
under Arthur. fourteen years before.
President MctFnley said that we
Souiu never ne guilty OF criminal
gression." and then he began and car
RED on an unnecessary war in the
Philippines.
He said that 1t was our plain
DUTY to give the Porto Ricans free
admission to our markets. and then he
not only accepted but actually forced
through Congress n bill levying heavy
taxes both ways on Porto Rican trade
lie promised pure government TO
our dependencies. and he filed the
In, .AE ~. ,,,tt 4.
All these Inconsistencies have n
single cause-Alr. Mckinley is not his
own master He speaks from the good
impulses of his heart. and then he does
what he Is told to do. It is impossible
even 10 imagine William Mckinley
making such a stand for his principles
against the pressure of party leaders
as William j. Bryan has made this
week. When we elect Mckinley to Of
flee. therefore. his words furnish us no
clew whatever to his probable course
after he gets into power TO know
what he is going to do we must know
the man who for the time being is
running" him. In this case 1t is Mark
Hanna.
William J. Bryan is the very anti
thesis of his opponent. No man has
had more virulent or more unsCrupu-
lous enemies; no man has been more
outrageouslY misrcprcscntcd: no man
has had his character opinions ana
conduct more distorted and carica-
turcd, but in all the whirlpool of de-
traction that has surgcd about him
nobody has venturcd to suggest that
Mr. Bryan Is owned by anybody but
William j. Bryan.
He takes orders from no Hanna. He
does not have to call anybody into con
sutation to find out what he thinks
His convictions, based on his own ma
turcd study. are his own property, and
when he has once formed them no
power on earth can induce him 10 give
them up or modify them, or hide them
under a mask.
The country is coming to know and
admire that splendid StubhornncSs OF
Mr. Bryans. The Democrats who did
not agree with him on tile silver ques-
ton. annoyed as they were with what
seemed to them an unnecessary sacri-
flee Of political strength. are beginning
To bc glad that they have had that rev
cla;ion of unconqucrablc iniieXiblc
conviction. While it is against them
on one point. it gives them confidence
that upon the other points on which
they and the candidate agree they Will
not bc betrayed. They have been look
ing for man who would display on
the side OF the people Fiat same inn
movable obstinacy that Cleveland dis
played on behalf of the privileged
classes, and they have found him. 1t
Is this feeling that inspires n gold
Democrat to write to the NIugWump
Evening Post:
another term of Mckinley, involv-
ing the Endorsement of the almost un-
broken record of bad faith which has
characterized nearly all the acts of his
Administration, would he about as bad
a commentary on popular government
as could be imagined. I.ut would not
the cause of popular government suf-
fer still more should the party which
has taken up the task of reViVing the
Declaration of Independence and our
old-fashioncd views Of national honor
TO be betrayed by its candidate? In
the present crisis SiSns OF Suircn0cT
by that candidate TO bosses or to mon
eyed interests. or the exhibition by
him Of any OF the marks of the quit
ter" would he very disquietng TO
many gold Democrat"
What we need in the Presidency now
above all other things is an honest
man--not merely one who is above
picking pockets himself. but one whose
honesty is aggressivc-onc who will
der him or IIannas over him. and
matters of money, but to matters of
principle.
We know that If William ]. Bryan
said that anything was our plain
duty" he would shut that steel-trap
jaw Of his and keep Congress in SEES
sion until that duty was performed or
The Congressional term expired. If an
organ told him that this action would
cost him three million votes of grow
crs of filler tobacco and garden sass"
he would tell il that the people could
elect another President if they chose,