Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

Yet it is this twice beaten candidate
whom the rank and file of democracy
cling to and the republican leaders and
newspapers most savagely abuse. Why?
In my opinion it is because there is in
the people discerning instinct and in
Mr.. Bryan rejecting spirit which make
for mutual trustfulnes.
An Earnest Man of Sense.
Mr.. Bryan upon acquaintance proved
different from my preconcepton of him.
l met not visionary orator. but a man
OF sense. in deadly earnest. direct and
reasonable. Coming to know him better.
seeing him in his home. 1 found man
able and sincere. devoted and devout,
having childlke faith in the people. in
God and truth / changed my opinion
altogether l felt that / had done him
signal injustice. l would as soon trust
him in the White House as George Gray
or Richard Olney; and l believe that
when he gets there militant democracy
of the school of Jefferson and Jackson
and Tilden will renew. its youth and
vigor. leading the way to such changes
in the national House and Senate as will
restore them their Legislative functions
and give the people assurance of real and
lasting reforms.
No party was ever known to reform it
self. Republican promises to reform re-
publican abuses make but poor DEATH
bed repentance. Taft means either -four
years more OF Theodore" or a new ieaSe
for Aldrich. Cannon and Company. Bryan
means. if nothing else, the new broom
that Sweepeth clean. upon floors that are
admittedly most unclean. There must be
an occasional change of parties If we are
to have decent administration. One
party government is only degree less
Objectionable than the one-man power.
An Augury of Evil.
1t is a peculiar misfortune and an
augury of evil that the. people of the east
notably the people of New York-get
their mental sustenance chiefly through
the organs of the rich. In the bucolic
days "befo the war the people of the
gulf states were fed from the same
virtues of slavery. None others were al
lowed to exist. In the fabulous wealth
of the east piled up in few hands
some of it predatory-much of 1t sprung
from class legislation-all of 1t more or
less cotruptng-it is easy to see grow
ing likeness to the patricianism of the
old south.
Already artificial conditions of life pre-
dominate. Young men are reared to re-
gard enthusiasm as effeminate. Young
women are almost educated in
knowledge of evil as young men. The sex
line becomes less and less visible. Caste
distinctions press upon the commonalty
more and more and harder and harder.
The foolish poor either hate or emulate
the foolish rich. Graft is everywhere.
Moneymaking seems quite to nave
swamped simple patriotism and popular
piety. The newspapers are SO used to
this that they are callous-they take their
complexion from society, which is well
pleased with itself and wants things TO
remain as they area GISSonant note de-
nounced as the ignorance of an outsider,
or the Outcropping of anarchsm IL was
Just so in the CarOlinas fifty years ago
He who did not shout for slavery was an
abolitiOnist.
The worst of 1t is that the rich are over
ready to make common cause with the
predatory rich. They do not discriminate
Theodore Roosevelt has gone much far-
Their in socialsIic eXtremism than MT
Bryan ever went. Yet those who abuse
the acknowledgements Bryan as a So |
cialist-do not so characterize Roosevelt
and they will vote for Taft because they
think that. Teddy Bear slowed safely |
away in the wilds of Africa. Big Bill
and Sunny Jim with AldrIch In the
Senate and Cannon in the House. Will
soon have the elephant where they want |
him; the truth being that for all the |
chatter about trustism and rebates. a
spectacular fine which will never be col |
lected. remains the single trophy.
It's Perfidy and Dishonor.
Two or three years ago the country |
stood aghast before the exposures pre- i
cipitated by the insurance scandals. and
all good men were yOwing that they would
not stop until the Augean stables should |
he cleaned The traction scandals fol- !
lowed. Not a method has been altered |
Not "a cuiprit is in jail. But the business |
OF the country requires that there Shall
be no further agitation, and in order to
secure peace and quiet we must elect !
Taft. who Swears by Roosevelt, ana
Sherman. who sWearS by Roosevelt. each |
of them finding him "a good enough Nor |
gan till after the election Is this any |
ting other than perfidy and dshOnor and, |
if il should succeed. will not the conditions |
to be ultimately reformed be so SrievOuS |
as TO transcend the agencies of states
men and to become the sport and prey |
of the mob? Is not. for example, the
other end of protectionism anarchy?
Once upon time we had Il famous Gov !
ernor Of Kentucky. old Charles Scott. the !
Indian fighter. who used to say that when
things grow bad they are hard to mend, |
but that when they get d bad they
just cut loose and menu themselves
Mr.. Bryan has suffered from over |
praise as much as from over-abuse. Yet
never an abusive word that is said of Mr.. |
Bryan but was said of Mr.. jefferson. One |
need only turn back to the republican !
newspapers of 1876 10 learn what a peril
to patriotism and property Mr. Tilden
was No honest interest has any more |
to fear from the democratic party today, |
led by Mr.. Bryan. than ii had to fear
when the party was led by Mr.. Tiden and
by Mr.. Cleveland. each of whom en-
which is now used by republicans to de-
fend the accretions of nearly fifty years.
expressed for the most part in offices AMI
abuses. The public service is afflicted !
with bone-felOn Shall the finger be /
lanced and cured, or shall allow the |
disease TO continue 10 burrow below sur !
face until nothing will save the body !
polite but the amputatiOn OF the hand? |
Consider This, Voters.
This is the problem for the voters to j
consider. Forbidden by the organs OF |
the rich-makinS common cause with the |
predatory rich-to see the truth and to |
consider the actualities of the political !
situation--huddled too often in camps by |
short-sightcd employers. who tell them !
their wages depend upon how they vote /
the outlook for sound opinions and Just |
conclusions here in The east is not en- |
couragipS. Yet New York lives and