Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1904-07-21
DANIEL AND BRYAN.

John w. Daniel has for many years
been the idol of the Virginia Democracy,
aud very potent in shaping the opinions OF
most of those men who have made up
that party in this State. He has been the
champion of many wild theories in con-
nection with great public questions, both
State and National. But, somehow he
has managed to keep his hold on the atfec-
tiops and confidence of the masses of his
party in Virginia.
In 1878 Major Daniel was one Uf the
most extreme advocates of an unlimited
and irredeemable Greenbsck currency.
In 1878, 1880 and 1881 he was the leading
defender and supporter of Funderism, in
sisting that it was the duty of Virginia to
pay the enormous debt that had been sad
died upon her by the dishonest Funding
Bill" He declared that readiustment OF
the public debt would bring dishonor
upon the Old Dominion, and announced
that he would rather see the public schools
DESTROYED than to witness a readjustment
of the debt, which he was pleased 10 call
repudiation. In succession he was forced
TO abandon his foolish adherence to Green
backism and his unrighteous support OF
Funderism. He Gid this without making
any apology or attempting to place respon-
sibiiity ON Others for the mistakes lie had
made; and his party condoned bis fol-
lice.
More than twenty years ago Major Dan
lei became an enthusiastic advocate of the
doctrine of the free coinage of silver. In
fact he seemed to be so enslaved by bis
passion for that fallacious doctrine that he
directed his chief talent to securing its
adoption. Before William Jennings Bryan
was ever heard OF in politics, John w
Daniel had made national reputation as
an advocate of free silver. With this rec
ord attending him it was little strange
aud decidedly ungenerous in Senator Dan
iel to try at the St. Louis Convention to
make MIR. Bryan the scapegoat for the
great blunders of the Democracy in 1896
and 1900.
Senator Daniel was as much responsible
for the free silver plank and other vagaries
of the Chicago platform as any man liv-
ing, and, perhaps, more so. He had be-
longed to that Senatorial combination that
had made Mr.. Cleveland's administration
unpopular with his own party and that
sought to make Teller or Bland the cand
date of the Democratic party on free sill
yer platform. 1t WAS bis prominence as a
free silverite that made Senator Daniel
temporary chairman of the Chicago con-
vention. And his speech, made after tax
ing the gavel, sounded the keynote for all
the proceedings that followed in that con-
vention. His address was full of criticism
of the gold men who welt then in such a
minority with the Democracy. He said
"What hope is there for the country
What hope for Democracy unless the
views of the majority be accepted?" Then
be declared that the Republicans were
committed to the gold standard and that
"the disastrous consequences of such a
policy are appalling to contemplate"
OF course all the other Populistic doc
trines that were inserted in the Chicago
platform we're the natural outgrowth OF the
advocacy and adoption of Senator Daniels
free silver ideas. He was more responsible
for the work of that convention than was
Mr.. BRYAN, who, in few brief hours after
Senator Daniels bitter free silver speech,
sprung into notice as the brightest star in
the Democratic armament.
Senator Daniel was a calamity bowler at
Chicago but not a shirker. At st. Louis
he continued IN the role of, calamity
bowler and became shirker He charged
MIR. Bryan with the responsibility for the
defeat of and disaster to the Democratic
party This was not keeping up the reputa-
ton of Major Daniel, who has been known
in Virginia politics as the "Lame Lion"
Major Daniel at St. Louis favored the t
insertion of gold plank in the Demo-
cratic platform and soon thereafter said : a
81 am convinced that this country is on