Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-07-19
BRYAN WORKING FOR ROOSEVELT.
From the Wall Street Journal)

! BRYAN WORKING FOR ROOSEVELT. |
{ From the Wall Street Journal)
IT Is not often that a man who is
| still Presidential probability, even
though already twice defeated, elects at
the outset of his renascent boom to do
his utmost to assure himself of conf
| defeat. 1t might be too nnich to
that the carefully prepared interview,
just given out by Mr.. William jennings
Bryan. has already assured Theodore
! Roosevelt of another Presidential term,
but we think that u little analysis of
this interview will go far toward en-
| couraging Mr.. Roosevelt's friends and
toward bringing back to him present
malcontcnts forced to accept him as
! the better choice between two evils. Mr..
Bryan rcscnts the compromising term
| conservative" (by the by, we have not
noticed that any of his new admirers
have yet styled him safe and "soundD
| and declares that he is more radical
than he has ever been. Here is what
| he wrote"
"If. however, by the word coperva-
tive they mean that have changed my
position on any public question or
modified my opposition to corporate ag-
grandizemcnt they have n surprise
awaiting them, for I am more radical
than I was in 1896, and | have nothing
| to withdraw on the economic questions
which have been under discussion"
In view Of the foregoing statement,
# one harks back to the campaigns of
1896 and 1900, he must conclude That
Mr. Bryan IS still n believer in shack
ling the courts In dealing with labor
| union rioters, in the establishment or
arbitrary hours OF work to the detrl-
ne,,t of the free expansion of business
enterprise and the fullest opportunity
OF labor to earn and to better it's condi
ton in more or less of the principles
of Government ownership of transpor-
tation and telegraph lines and even
many sources of industrial production.
in antitrust and anti monopoly laws
even more drastic than those advocated
by Mr.. Roosevelt, in throwing away the
Philippine islands and in many minor
economic heresics. If radicalism Is to
be the determining force at the election
TO be held by the American people IN
1909, surely the Democratic party would
do we'll to go further than Mr.. Bryan
and accent Mr.. Hearst, together with
his chain Of yellow journals that could
he made official circulars for the radi-
cal Court Mr.. Roosevelt has the ad-
vantage Of having accomplished much
LEGISLATION in line with Il supposed
popular demand for the construction or
corporate activity and development.
~ the new Federal laws that were the
features of the work accomplished by
tho last Congress. work less detriment
, to business and progress than is now
feared by many men in the Woriu ol
capital and investment. 1t VIII pc ME-
Roosevelt and the Republican party
that will get the credit of accomplish
ment Having done so much that ne
desired to do in the alleged interests
OF the pcople Mr.. Roosevelt is In a
nos,tior 10 lessen all "perncious ac-
tivities' nnd to stand up for the square
, dool." which, he is constantly preach
ing he IS DESTROYS to secure for honest
coritoI md honest wealth. as well as
, honest labor. and to appeal successfully
; to the American people, If 1t should de-
velop that 1t is conservatism ana NOT
, radicalism which is likely to be the de-
, Gliding force at the next PRESIDENTIAL
z election.
But Mr. Bryan goes even further than
what we have stated toward checking
, any possible popular tendency toward
the Democratic party, provided ne Is
accepted as that party's standard
, bearer One OF the most potent causes
, for the defeat of Democratic candl-
date in 1904, who was recognized as an
able. judicial minded. honorable ana
conservative man. and one who came
out uncompromisingly for the goid
$ standard. was the mere fact that his
narty's Convention refused to specih-
- callv bury the free silver question ana
I | Observation-Disclosures OF tho
+ gold standard. Mr.. Bryan says:
"rba 'only question we discussed in
, 1896 upon which there has been any APP
= nor.nt change Is the silver question.
; and that has not been change IN the
3 advocates of bi-metallism, but in con-
;. ditions. We contended for more money
and urged the free coinage OF silver as
4 tho only means then in sight or secur-
e ing IT, An increased production OF
D gold has brought In part the beneht
1 we expected to accrue from the restora-
\ ton OF silver. The per capita volume OF
money In the United states Is almost
l 40 per cent greater now than in 1885,
4 and the benefits brought by TINS III
crease have not only Nindicated 'he
y ouantitative theory of money, but prov
g ed the benefits of larger amount Oh
, money. No advocate of the gold stand
r ard can claim n triumph for his logic
II these words have any meaning
they imply that were the gold produce
tion of the world to fall Off, or some
other contingency to arise subject TO
s the Interpretation Of Free SilVeri'es'
r Mr.. Bryan and his followers would en-
Y deovor to radically alter the existing
0 financial system. In fact, he says that
y he believes that the restoration Vi
e silver would bring still greater pros
t noritv besides restoring part Of the eN-
e change between gold and silver-usins
o countries" We have here an illustra-
,, ton of the most essential fact that the
t leonard cannot change his spots,
= Roosevelt with the gold standard Is
|. UNNECESSARILY preferable to Bryan
without 1t, even though both men
stood together on every other economic
e or political question.