The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-10-06
A "BUNCO STEERER. !"
Can Either Clarke or Bryan Be
Called That3
WHO Is PLAYING THE PEoPLB7

The Personal, Private Understanding
the Public Are Not Permitted to
Know Between the Ohio GoIdbug
and the Nebraska Silverite -"Now
You See u, Now You Don't"
Either Bryan has abandoned free
silver. or Clarke has accepted It," said
Senator Foraker at Chillicothe. by di-
rect deduction from the article in The
Commoner. in which Bryan. according
to Foraker. says Clarke told him pri-
vately how he stood on the silver
question" That there is some per-
sonal. private understanding between
Bryan and Clarke that has not been
made public. but is kept concealed. Is
apparent from Bryan's own words. In
the seven reasons given by Bryan for
asking Ohio Democrats to support
Clarke for senator he emphasizes in
one way and another the unlikeness
OF Clarke to- the Cleveland Demo
Gratis" showing that Clarke is in no
sense such a man as the Cleveland
Democrats would wish to see for six
years in the United States senate.
Bryan acknowledges that Clarke was
not with him on the silver plank in
| 1896. but says with that exception Mr..
| Clarke is running on the Kansas City
| platform" Further than that. in 1900.
| MIR. Clarke showed himself willing TO
risk the enforcement of ALL the plat
| FORM" not even excepting the silver
| plank.
Now comes the private conference.
which Is the basis of Foraker's state
ment and the secret understanding be-
tween Bryan and Clarke. The Com
moner for its fourth reason says that
"Mr. Bryan. after hearing Mr.. Clarke
and talking with him. was convinced
that he was in sympathy with the peo-
ple.,' etc. In this conference. which
is not stated at all, we are told as the
fifth reason that MIR. Bryan was also
convinced that Mr.. Clarke is sound on
all the acute phases of the money
question. and that his sympathy will
lead him to the right side of the me-
tallic part Of the money question"
The plain English of this would be
with common people. that Bryan has
brought Clarke around to his way ol
thinking. and that Clarke is convinced
now, that what he called dishonesty
few years ago. is at this time al
right for campaign purposes. at least
although the entire progress of event:
in the meanwhile has uiscredited the
very doctrine to which he is now con
verted SO suddenly. The trouble is
though. that Clarke came out from
that conference with Bryan and wen
right OF on the stump once more witt
the declaration that he stands toda,
on the silver question just where h'
did in 1896. II that is the case wha
meaning can there be in Bryan's pres
ent language? Did Clarke deceive
Bryan? II not. who is playing will
the people? Can 1t be that Bryan ha!
further information that he is with
holding from the public? II such II
the case. wherein is Bryan better thai
the "bunco steerer." whom he de
nounced at Urbana few weeks ago
II Bryan is deceived then Clarke'
public speech Is plain. If Bryan is no
deceived. what else can We conclud'
than that Clarke. having arranged hi
affairs with Bryan. then the next da.
deliberately deceived the people? An.
way you take II. the whole thing 4
clearly a game Of ''now you see 1t an
, now you don't" with the general pub
lie as the intended dupes?