Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1901-04-25
Con1n1oner Comment.
Extracts from W, J. Bryan's Paper

If Jefferson and Franklin were right,
how can we delude ourselves with the
doctrine of destiny which is being de-
veloped now?
Yielding to a bad principle because
1t seems triumphant is simply an easy
method of avoiding labor and sacrifice.
1t is complacent but unsound phil
osophy, which teaches compromise
with wrong merely because the enemy
is strongly entrenched.
No one has a right to assume that
error will be permanently victorious.
II some of our citizens condemn small
crimes, but seem inclined to condone
grand larceny and killing on large
scale, Mr.. Watterson should remem-
Der his lecture on morals and point
out to the deluded ones that nation
can, no more than an Individual, avoid
the consequences of transgression. If
he believed the authors of the consti-
tuition and the wisest of our states
men" wrong he would be justified in
repudiating their counsels, but believ-
ing them right 1t Is surprising that he
should be carried away by the brutal
and barbarnus doctrine upon which
empires are built. His influence might
help to restore American ideals; he
cannot afford to aid in their overthrow.
The position of Mr.. Watterson would
be untenable, even If the issue of inn
perialism had been the only issue pre-
sented last fall and the people had de-
liberately Endorsed the republican pol
icy. Suppose the campaign of 1900 had
been Fought with no other question be-
fore the people, even then 1t would
still be the duty of those who are con-
scientiously opposed to Imperialism to
continue the discussion, with the hope
of convincing majority of the people.
But, as matter of fact, there were
number of issues in the campaign.
While Imperialism was declared by the
democratic convention to he para
mount, every one knows that other
questions entered into the contest, and
it Is also well known that the republi-
can party constantly denied that it had
any thought Of attacking fundamental
principles, or of converting a republic
into an empire. The Indictment
brought against the republican party
was so severe that a great many re-
fused to believe the party capable of
such intentions as were charged.
Then, too, the republicans sought
cover behind the feet that war was in
progress. They circulated misleading
reports from the Philippine islands,
and declared that the lives of Ameri-
can soldiers were imperiled by the fact
that the democrats were criticising the
administration.
What the democratic party needs is
not advice to surrender, but courage
to resist the attacks which are being
made upon American doctrines and
democratic principles.
The campaign of 1895 was the first
ore in recent years when there was
radical issue between the parties. The
republican party pretended to want in
ternational bimetallism, when 1t really
wanted the gold standard. It won its
victory under the cover of interna-'
tional bimetallism and as soon as the
election was over threw Of the mask
and came cut for the gold standard
Many of the democratic papers which
had supported the ticket, and all of the
democratic papers which had deserted
the party in that year, counseled the
party to accept decision, won by
fraud, as conclusive of the question.
And for four years the leading demo-
cratic dailies gave no assistance what
ever to the democratic party in its
fight against the money power.
In the campaign of 1900 the repub-
lican party practiced another fraud
upon the people on the SUBJECT Of i'm
perialism, and now Mr.. Watterson and
few other democratic editors advise
the acceptance Of the republican posi-
ton on that question.
On the trust question the republican
party also practiced deception, and
some of our democratic papers seem
willing to concede the triumph of the
trust principle.
Nothing is to be gained from party
standpoint, and everything is to be lost
from the standpoint of principle by
Mr.. Watterson's method of dealing
with the questions at issue. He ex-
poets the democratic party to indorse
the colonial system, and then promise
to send better carpet-baggers to Ma
Mia than the republicans have sent.
Such 4 course would make our party
a laughing stock.
No party is good enough to admin
lister a colonial system honestly and
for the benefit of the subjects. A ma
ton that is selfish enough to want
colony is too selfish to do Justice by it.
and a party demoraliZed enough to in
dorse a colonial system would be i'm
potent to administer it satisfactorily.
The Commoner is panied to see so
able and brilliant an editor as MIR.
Watterson unconsciously lend his in
iuence to the republican party. Far
better that his voice should command
a charge upon the republican strong
holds than that it should call a retreat
in the midst of battle which must de-
termire, not only the fate of this re-
public, but the fate of all republics
for years to come.