The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1908-10-14

lad who guessed the answer to the
conundrum, "Where was Moses when
the light went out?' I'm the dark"
can give answer to Mr.. Bryan's query.
OF course the people shall rule: sure
| ly the people have ruled; manifestly
the people do rule
In his own personal experience Mr.
Bryan furnished proof that the peo-
pie do rule. His candidacy now Is a
protest against the popular verdict
twice officially recorded. He is ar
raging his soaring ambition against
the repeated decisions of the millions
of electors.
TIE history is familiar In 1896
the democratic convention nominated
a voice for president. The ballots
were cast and counted and by a
plurality of $4,000 and majority
of 95 in the electoral college the
great American jury found in favor
of William Mckinley and against
William Bryan. The defeated candi-
date was not content, defeated candi-
dates seldom are. He asked for a
new trial and he got it. He was with
in his privilege: he had right to be
heard on his appeal of Bryan versus
the people. The case went to the
court of last resort in 1900. The
high tribunal after full hearing rem
dered its decision: rendered its de-
cision at the polls by a plurality of
S32 900 and in the electoral college
by vote of 292 to 1856, confirmed
tie verdict of 1896. confirmed the
verdict at every point and declared
that William ]. Bryan should not be
president. Not even then did he
bow to the second mandate of the
people. Not even then was he will
ing to recognize the peoples verdict.
nor was he willing to concede that
the people ruled.
In 1904 a sort of truce was en-
tered into and BRYAN retired for the
once as his party's candidate. The
warning of adverse majorities from
the ballot-box and losses in the cleo
toral college had been heard and had
been noted. The mutterings reached
the proportion of storm The ap-
preaching cyclone drove the Nebras-
kan into the cellar of temporary re-
tirement and Judge Parker led the
forlorn hope of that year. Mr..
BRYAN was given the opportunity of
comparing the sensation of being cast
out by a democratic convention or to
be trodden upon by the mass of the
people at the polls. Whatever was
his conclusion he has been unwilling
TO submit to either. He involes the
old rule of three times to be out
This and his own wishes control. His
protest and appeal are heard above
every other sound He is his own adj
vocate. his own witness, crowds him
self upon the bench as his own Judge,
and then inquiries, "Shall the people
rule?"
The answer already twice given
will be repeated in November and
once again. in my judgment, Mr..
Bryan will know that the people
rule. The people know their own
minds and know how to make their
wishes effective. In 1896 they re-
sented an attempt to foist a cheap
dollar as the measure of wages. They
would not consent to degrade the
currency. They were honest with
each other and with the business
world. They were honest, too, with
Mr.. Bryan and told him in plain
words that they could not trust him
in the White House. They con-
demned his hersy Of free silver and
condemned the author of such
false economic policy.
Under such condemnation by the
people Mr.. Bryan appeared at the bar
in 1900, appeared as culprit; plead
ed for mercy on the ground that he
no longer cared for silver, it had not
obtained for him the necessary votes,
had not won for him the coveted
prize. He asked to be tried again.
The nation. he alleged, had blundered
in the election of Mckinley, who had
brought in imperialism. The time
That was the only way for the cleo
tors to justify themselves for their
fault. He couldn't be wrong; who
ever did not follow him could not be
right. me breezes of November are
full of ozone. They gave vigor to
1919, 900 voters to repeat that grim
verdict of four years before. an in
crease of 7S3, 700 over the grand total
of 1896.
The convention of 1904 was not
under Mr.. Bryan's complete domina-
ton. His party asked for other lead
ership and got it; others dictated the
nomination and directed the canvass.
The democrats in convention asserted
that they desired no more of his lead
ership the people at the polls pro-
claimed that they had no use for
what remained of his vagaries
AnE nEC1