New-York tribune., 1906-07-14
MR.. BRYag,s CONSERVATISM" :"


Mr.. Bryan's London interview cuts the ground
from under the feet of the enthusiasts who have
been celebrating his mysterious and OppOrtune
return to safety and sanity" By some miracu-
lous process it was limited, the Nebraska states
man had sloughed off his crude and youthful
radicalism and had sobered down into dis
illusioned, middle aged conservative" Just a
month ago "The New York Times" was tell
ing it's readers that Mr.. Bryan had OutgrOwn
his earlier mistakes and follies and could be
counted q convert TO reason and moderation in
politics. 1t took great comfort from a fugitive
article published in 1.-THE Century Magazine" in
which the ex-radical leader mildly suggested
that it would be safer and better to modify by
degrees the scheme of indfvidualism in eco
nor1ics and politics which we have inherited
than TO try to supplant 1t outright with
scheme of cOllectivism or socialism. The article
was so phrased that ''The Times" could find
nothing in it TO criticise or dissent from, and
our contemporary rated this essay an omen
OF vast significance, lone of the most potent of
"all the influences that have so marvellously
changed the counry's opinion" of its distin-
guished author.
We expressed some doubt at that time of the
thoroughness Of Mr. Bryan's conversion" The
miracle reported lacked the support of direct
and convincing evidence From an extended
study of Mr.. Bryan's character and methods we
were satisfied that in any rapprochement be-
tween him and the 'conserva tives'' they would
yield to him, not he to them, when the time
came for surTendering demands and recasting
opinions. To quote our words of month ago:
If the so-calIed conservatives think that he
has yielded his convictions or will yield his
convictions to purchase their support, they are
cherishing a delusion. They. not he. will play
MahOmet when the tug Of war comes between
Mahomet and the mountain
ondnn iurp7-vfaxv PDrl7r1laTpIv AZ
our prediction. Mr.. Bryan talks like a man
ready to lay down terms, not to ask for them
He realizes that the conservatives need him
more than he needs them, and he is willing to
accept their support, provided they come as re-
crults, with a due sense of obligation and hui
mility, prepared "to work, and not TO interfere
with the Other laborers" II honest he adds,
'they will not assume an attitude of superiority
'over those who toiled during the earlier hours"
and will not obtrude when 'the overseer is to
to be selected" There will be harmony in the
reorganized and reunited Bryan party, but there
will also be fair measure Of authority and dis
cipline.
Mr.. Bryan is willing to let the public Judge
how far he has yielded TO the conseryatizing
process. 1t must be rather cold cheer TO ex-
apostles of 'safety and sanity" to learn that ne
considers himself even more radical to-day than
he was in 1896. He is stlll unconvinced that
he was wrong In 1896 and 1900 in demanding
the free and unlimited coinage of silver and in
seeking to force the United States TO maintain
the double standard in defiance Of the none
tary usage and practice OF the rest Of the COM
mercial world. He would meet the problem of
1896, if it should arise again, by insisting on
the same remedy. Moreover, he would reaf-
firm every other plank in the Chicago platform
"A platform once vigorously denounced by the
conservatives" as the essence of folly and an
archy. We shall await with interest the COM
ments Of Democrats whose opinion Of Mr. Bryan
has been $50 marvellously changed" during his
absence abroad on the Democratic leaders
latest elucidatiOn OF Democratic principles