Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-07-17
BRYAN AS A LEADER.


Now that the convention is over and
the candidates and platform are known
let us see what reasons exist why Mr..
Bryan should not be our next presi-
dent. So far as we have read the news
papers rejecting the sentiment of an
tagonism to him, there is nothing new
or startling that they have brought
forth. OF course they call him Rad
ical, Socialist, Populist, and but
for piling the lie on too heavily, they
would call him an Anarchist. Not one
of all these has yet stated that he is
dishonest. The truth does not appear
in their lines but between their lines,
where we read that there is fear on
their part of his election. They 60 back
of course to the day when he advocated
free silver, but they dare not mention
the "Rag baby currency of the Re
publican paety in this connection.
They speak of his radicalism, but they
do not repeat any of the words uttered
by Mr.. Roosevelt in his celebrated mes
sage when he fiayed Hartman, Rock
efeller and other trust magnates and
trusts, in mode attractive to all radi-
Gals and depressing to all conservatives.
They tell of his ''forcing" himself on
the party against the party's will, but
they do not mention the fact that Mr..
Taft was "forced" on the Republican
party, and that too in order that he
might carry out the ideas and policies,
of man now president whom Wall
Street and other conservative" inter
ests in the Republican party despise
1t will strike everybody who is truth
full that there is vast difference be-
tween the modes in which the candi-
dates for the respective parties have
been nominated. Mr.. Taft is the known
and admitted product of the office hold
ing element of the Republican party.
The president took him up, the presi-
Dental sine too's" followed suit, and
with this vast power whipped others
into line, or drove them away, and thus
named their man. He is, therefore,
the Machine or Ring candidate in the
purest sense.
On the other hand Mr.. Bryan came
to the front on his own individual
merit. His first nomination was thus
comprised. The convention was at sea;
this young man came before it; many
had never heard of him, not dozen
had ever seen him, and yet, by aspeech
full of the fire of Democracy, he so i'm
pressed that convention that it rose EN-
MAssE and nominated him. Taking
up the party when splintered to pieces
by the Cleveland thunderbolt, he re-
yitalized, reshaped it, and carried it to
real victory, only to have the victory
wrenched from him by fraud and
perfidy.
Again he was made its standard
bearer. But with the money of every
corporation in the United States he
was again defeated. Then the "con-
sentative" element took up the party
Eeins. We will not mention this fea-
ture. Now the party has renominated
Mr.. Bryan. Renominated him not
because forced to do so by president
of the Uuited States, nor by an office
holding set whose bread and butter in
cited their enthusiasm, but nominated
him because they wanted him, freed
as he was from every polluting infiu
ence of money or promised power, re-
ward, or favoriteism. If Mr.. Bryan is
the leader of Democracy it is because
of merit. If he is the leader he has won
his spurs honestly. If he is the leader
he bears that proud title because there
has appeard no Knight in the lists to
wrench it from him, or SO worthy of the
crown. What American has not the
right by merit to become president
Who may not strive after that as any
other honor? If they who are great
hide their greatness under bushel
who shall know them? If they go into
q cavern and are neither seen nor heard
who of today will drag them from their
hiding? No just man can say that
Mr.. Bryan is not entitled to the place
he occupies, nor can any say he should
not have striven for it. All that trou-
bles his enemies, is that he holds the
position and that he will be the next
president.
Representative Richmond Pierson
Hobson did most indiscreet and i'm
IL L.. ]. Il Al.