The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-08-04
They Will Support
Watson and Tibbles

informed man. We without means to
pay for even the barest necessities of
legitimate campaign, and absolutely
without the aid or sympathy of any
OF the great metropolitan, newspapers
cf tie land barring one. made our
light, the brilliancy and the fierceness
With which we assalled the rainparts
OF the opposition need not be told
by those who were engaged in the
strife. The republican campaign man
ayers can testify to it, as in fact they
did by the way they fought to prevent
our success. But hard as we fought,
brilliant and capable as our command
er was, we fell without the breast
works-de defeated.
But my friends when in the history
OF our party was sucn a fight for vic
tory Waged before, AM. wien before
did candidate of our party poll such
a popular vote? We know, the raplfb-
licans admit it. and the Belmonts and
other "sane and safe democrats claim
1t to be true. that we fell not by the
power or strength OF republicanism--
but that we were foully shot down In
every by-way of the country by men
masquerading in the livery of democ-
racy.
: After our defeat in 1896, these men
who openly fought and defeated our
national ticket, together with those
who like ex-United States Senator
David b. Hill had proclaimed them
selves to be democrats OF "the still
very still' brand, proceeded at once to
try and capture the national organiza-
tion OF our party-the means they re-
sorted to were not those which would
appeal to men who believe in fair
play and honesty. But the end was
all they fought for, and any means
which would accomplish the purpose
was to be commended. AS we all
know they just failed of their puprose.
and the people still remained in con-
troll OF the party when it met again in
convention at Kansas City and re-
newed it's pledges to the plain people
Of our country. The convention again
made that. great champion Of the
moral ISSUE" Mr.. Bryan, its stand
ard-bearer.
The fight during this campaign or
1900 was not exactly similar in all
aspects to the former fight, as the NEST
OF the sane and safe" became more
serpent like and on longer fought even
as openly as before, but stung our
tdndates in secret, and declared to
themselves in private counsel, that
such a course would more effectively
destroy Bryan, his friends, and the
party and enable them to regain con-
troll, than open fighting of US.
After our second defeat caused alone
by the self-named sane and safe"
aggregation OF commercial and pOliti-
cal bandits, they renewed their ener-
gies to capture our organization almost
the day after the election. They used
all the tactics which could be en-
ployed. They appealed to the politi-
clan who was hungry by telling him
ne could get next to the public crib
had the money to make the proper
Kind Of campaign. He was told that
they had the money ana We're ready
10 put 1t up and elect him and the
party candidates-if he would only be
sensible and recognize the fact that
as far as he was concerned the goal
t. be sought was the crib and that the
people who put up the goods 10 de-
baucn the electorate we're entitled To
,.ls.ate and have carried out policies
.Lat would enable them TO float such
ship building trust schemes and rail-
road mergers as would enable them 20
earn dividends commensurate 10 the
water in the schemes. Some ordinarily
honest but woefnlly hungry politicians
succuml,ed 10 the doctrine of "thc pub
ne hc damned" and said know these
tcmpters are wrong bur we must win
we need the offices and without the
money these fellows can and will put
40 we eau not get them Bryan IN
right and honest but he can not win
with these money bags against hinl
These aud similar appeals all nd-
dressed 10 the personal selashnesA of
the individual man. produced maliEn
results and when the national conven-