The Washington times., 1903-08-11
Fact VS.. Fancy.
Did Cleveland Act the Part of "Bunco
Steerer" in 1902?

To the Editor of The Washington Times:
Mr.. Bryan called Mr.. Cleveland ''bunco
steerer,' whereupon the whole pack of Car
lyle's gig g-resPectability'' open cry.
Strange TO say, the truth of Mr. Bryan's
charge is not denied. That appears TO be an
unimportant matter to the complainants. The
gravamen of his offense in alleged to be the
language employed, and not the thing which
the language means.
But we have authority from Aristotle's rhet-
oric down 10 the latest and best trust school
book that elearness and force are the two
foundations of good style. To use the exact
word, to hit the exact thing, and word which
will be understood universally and in the sense
in which it is used, aforetime considered
& merit. And so the English classicists wrote,
notably Junius-
Mr.. Bryan followed these models The OBJ
lection 10 the epithet applied TO the ex-
President is a product of the commercial sensi-
tive consciousness which finches 10 hear some
things called by their right names. Even the
language of Him who spske never man
spoke is adjudged by the critics Of this school
10 be vulgar and unfit for refined society, as,
for instance the saying: "Hypocrites! Cen
Grafton of vipersl How can We escape the
damnation Of hell!''
QUALCHEDIRNO.
Washington, August 10.
While greatly struck by the pro-
found learning of our correspondent
with the picturesque pseudonym, and
while still more impressed by the
agility of an intellect which can array
Aristotle, Junius and the Saviour of
Mankind on the side of William Jen-
nings Bryan and against what Car
lyle IN an access of dyspeptic fury
once called ''gig-respectability," we
yet make so bold as to assert that the
truth of Mr.. Bryan's charge is
denied-denied, at least, by everybody
who Is able to think logically and is
capable of differentiating between
argument and vituperation.
Mr.. Bryan described Grover Cleve-
land as 'bunco steerer," who sac
eepted the suffrages of five millions
of people and then led them into
Wall Street" Now, what is 'bunco
steerer?" The Standard Dictionary
defines the term in the following
language:
person who serves as a decoy in bunco TO
bring in victims usually by claiming acauaint-
ance with strangers the street.
If Mr.. Bryan meant anything at
all, therefore, he meant, no doubt. that
the Democratic party in 1892, when it
nominated Cleveland to be its candi-
date for the Presidency, forgot, or
was ignorant Of the fact, that he was
not in sympathy with views then en-
tertained by a large section Of the
Democratic party, which views were
four years later made the test Of
party faith by Mr.. Bryan and his fol-
lowers, as soon as they had secured
a complete .aseendancy IN party coun-
ellis; that Cleveland, taking advantage
Of this forgetfulness, or ignorance. or
whatever II may have been on the part
Of the Democracy IN 1892, aecosted
the 'unwary travellers" on the high
way, led them to believe he was their
friend, and secured their confidence.
only TO betray and despoil them after
ward; and that-but we pause; it is
50 difficult sometimes TO know pre-
clsely what Mr.. Bryan means when
be is wound up.
These are Mr.. Bryan's propositions,
we assume. Now, as to the facts. The
Democratic national convention which
met In Chicago IN June, 1892, had be
fore it unmistakable evidence of Mr..
Cleveland's lack Of sympathy Will,
two ideas then bigotedly cherished by
the Democratic masses. One of these
ideas involved the free coinage Of
silver, the other called for a radical
reform of the tariff.
The national convention rejected
the free silver heresy and went so Tar
even as to demand "A repeal of the
silver purchase clauses of the Sher-
1nan act cf 1890 and TO advocate coin