Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-07
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vile by reason of his marvellous agil-
ity as an expert acrobat and the facil-
ity with which he jumps from a free
silver bar to plank of anti-imperial-
ism and then nimbly bounds to a plat
form of government ownership, is re
garded as a valuable vote-getting as
get by what life long Democrat has
called "a decadent and discredited
Democracy" Now this marvellous
lightning change artist, this alert po-
litical acrobat, this persistent pursuer
of the Presidency facetiously confided
to an audience Of his admirers in Tex
as last winter. that he had twice been
subject to Presidential hallucinations,
and that he felt the attack coming on
again.
In all seriousness and sincerity, may
! not remind the promising Nebra skan,
that in politics as well as in paralysis
and all other physical ailments, the
third attack is invariably fatal. But
by fatality in Mr.. Bryan's case, 1 do
not mean total extinction. Judged by
the form sheets of past performances
he will like every babbling brook. run
on forever, but when he does finally
cease to be the peerless and perpetual
candidate through the infirmities of
age. or other natural causes. it is safe
to predict that he will never use the
White House as a sanitarium, but will
have to seek his needed rest amidst
apstorial scenes surrounded by the IA
miliar faces of farmers that he loves
so well at each recurring election. in
the placid precincts of Fairview.
But good friends, let me not be mis-
understood. l approach the great dis
cussion in which We are engaged in
no spirit Of levity. never do I hope shall
! speak lightly Of any man honored by
any national convention, with a nom
ination for the highest Office that a
republic can bestow, but we must and
shall call things by their right name
in this contest, and a candidates ca
reer, his character and his record are
essential subjects for discussion and
examination. If we shall seem harsh
in referring to Mr.. Bryan's total aban-
donrncnt OF all his cherished policies,
policies that he deemed 50 essential to
the welfare of the nation of his free
silver hereSy of 1896, of1his antl-im-
perialistic bug-aboo of 1890, and of his
impracticable government ownership
ideas of 1906, the fault is not of our
making.
If we shall with righteous indigna-
ton denounce his varying views and
glarin;, contradictions on all of the
policies he has held so dear, and which
he deemed important to the very HE
of the Republic the fault is his, not
ours.
Some there will be who will think
that our utterances are charged with
the venom of partisan prejudice, but
fortunately and happily we do not re-
Nv in this contest on mere party de-
nunciation TO prove the truth and the
Justice of our contentious. From the
very lips of his own former party as
sociates, from the very men who IL
nanCed his two previous unsuccessful
campaigns, from the pen of that great
Georgian who was his running mate
for Vice President on the Soclallstlc
ticket in the South in 1896 and from
that message cabled from France by
that unique character in our politlcs,
William II. Hearst. comes such a Tor
rent of abusive anathema but paintul
truthfulnesS that must inevitably
spell certain defeat for the third time
for William J. Bryan
When James NJ. Guffy, the most
prominent Democrat in the state OF
Pennsylvania, a delegate to the Demo-
cratic convention at Denver. tells us
from out of the very walls of the con-
vention hall that MIR Bryan is n sell
convicted falsifer hypocrite and an
migrate and the most arrogant boss
the Democratic party has ever known.
what need indeed for my feeble dcnun-
citation.
When Thomas T.. Watson. his run
ming mate for Vice President in 1896,
publishes to the world through an m
dignant but truthful pen that MI
Bryan is Il traitor to the masses. Il
trucker to power, a recreant to pledge
and promise, a calculating SeltlShly
ambitious politician. who would sacri-
flee any friend or principle to win the
Presidency" what need indeed tor me
to tax my pulmonary organs. Wheh
William r. Hearst misguided but I'M
doubtcdly sincere and honest. tells us
that 1.-The path of patriotism lies not
in supporting a dccadcnt and discred-
tied Democracy, which has neither
conscientious convictions nor honest
intentions nor in endorsing chamleon
candidates who change the color OF
their political opinions with every va
rying wave of opportunism, WHAT
need indeed for my inanc invcctive.
No good friends. l will not attempt
to improve on this triple plated DEM
ocratic arrangement of Mr.. Bryan by
his own former party associates, phl
will rather conserve my natural re-
sources of voice and vigor, for that
night of exultation and jubllatlon OF
Novcmbcr3, when Il grateful ana
appreciative nation shall have returned
to power a party of deccncy and OF