The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1902-03-27
HOTEL HAMILTON


ton at Chicago agitating the free coin
age idea. Mr.. Cleveland's policy on
the money question during his last adj
ministration was the same he had al
ways firmly adhered to, and of which
he Lad made frequent pronouncement
from the time he first became promi-
nent as factor in national politics. 1t
was the policy adopted by the convon-
ton which nominated him in 1892, after
it had voted down a free coinage reso-
luton. Mr.. Cleveland was one of the
most perfect figures Of rigid integrity
and blunt honesty ever in the white
house, and his fame in that particular
will outlive all the ISLANDERS and innuen-
dos of his detractors.
Mr.. Bryan is man who affects great
simplicity of living and poses as a scorn-
er of wealth. He has advertised the
fact that he will reside in a barn while
awaiting the completion of the new
house on his farm near Lincoln. In
his Grafton over the grave of John P.
Altgeld the other day he spoke with
pious regret of 'this material age when
so many are seeking to absorb as much
as they can" Yet there are evidences
that Mr.. Bryan has not neglected to
gather gear in his brief pilgrimage, and
some of the wiles he has employed to
that end have been rather unique That
book, "The First Battle" written in
two months, with a biography Of the
author by his wife, and put out in time
to get the benefit Of the advertising
that the campaign had given, was
something in this line, and the Com
moner was a similar and probably more
successful endeavor following the sec
ond battle.
Mr.. Bryan has always complacently
assumed that he and his faction monop-
olize the bulk of the patriotism and
honesty there is in the country, those
who opposed him being actuated by
selfish motives or dominated by mon
eyed interests. That has ever been the
attitude of the demagogue, and the
longer Mr.. Bryan lives the stronger ov-
idence he gives that he is an adept in
the demogogic art.
The article in the Commoner is other
wise abusive of Mr.. Cleveland, and
without warrant charges him with all
kinds of dereliction of party obligations
and failure in his trust as a public Off
cial. Mr.. Cleveland was ever consist
ent in politics, most especially in his
position on the money question, and
his wisdom in that particular has been
thoroughly vindicated by time. He
stood like bulwark against the camor
OF the fanatics in the hour of the eoun-
try's need, averted disaster and made
possible the easy return to prosperity
when the threatening Bryan heresies
had been repudiated at the ballot box.
Mr.. Cleveland's letter to the Missis-
sippi editor has cordial response from
democrats who wish the Identification
of the party and successful issue for
the democracy in coming elections.
But Mr.. Bryan's policy is rule or ruin.
H. abuses Cleveland as he abuses Hill,
and evinces the greatest hostility to all
democrats, regular or irregular, who
have not bowed the knee to the dictum
of his populist alliance.
There is wide difference in the po-
litical records of Cleveland and Bryan.
The former brought the democratic
party out of the wilderness of defeat to
victory. In three successive elections
he received the majority OF the popular
vote for president-a record no other
man, save Andrew Jackson, ever made
and when he last led the party, its
triumph was overwhelming. There
was q democratic tidal swave; the old
lines Of party division seemed broken
up, and hitherto rock ribbed republi-
can states joined the democratic column.
Bryan sprang out of obscurity and led
the party in two famboyant campaigns
almost to humiliation. There is q vast
difference between the sturdy figure of
Grover Cleveland and that of the spec
tacular Nebraska orator. They are as
far apart as the poles, and the solid
qualities of the one and the shallowness
of the other will become more apparent
"a thew racAda into history .-Nashvilla