Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-23

CINCINNATI, Ohio September o.
Judge William H. Taft. told the National
League of Republican Clubs last night
what he thought of William ]. Bryan
as a statesman. After rehearsing the
deeds and purposes of the republican
party. he turned to the record of his rival
for the presidency.
Turning now to the other picture"
said Judge Taft, what is it that we have
to expect from Mr.. Bryan? Have We any
thing to expect but what he promises?
Have we anything to expectsbut what is
based upon his eloquence and his adroit-
ness as public critic? Has he ever
given any practical demonstration of his
ability to meet problems and solve them?
Has he ever done anything but formu-
late propositions in his closet of an ut
terly impract1cable character, largely
with a view of attracting votes by their
plausfblity, and very little with view
of their operation? BY their fruits We
shall know them What is the history
of Mr.. Bryan? 1t is from beginning to
end a record of failures on public ques-
tions.
Bryan and the Tariff.
1--WE find him first in Congress in the
second administr ration of Mr.. Cleveland, a
tee. and most active in formulating the
provisions of the German Wilson tariff
bill. After five months debate it passed
both houses and came to Mr. Cleveland
In such a shape that he denounced it as
a piece of perfidy. 1t leveled the indus
tries of this country to the ground. 1t
threw out of employment millions of
wage earners. 1t destroyed all business
profit. Farm products. for lack of a mar
ket. fell to point never SO low in forty
years. CoXey's army marched from the
west to Washington to protest against
a government under which such things
were possible.
After having assisted in this suicidal
policy, after the country was nearly dead.
after the farmers and the wage earners
were staggering under debt and mortgage,
perjury and almost starvation Mr. Bryan
defeats the efforts of the only great demo-
crat they have had in the party for many
years-Grover Cleveland-and hurls at
him b1llfngSgate and denunciation, for
what reason? Because he opposed Mr..
Bryans pet hobby, that of the free coin
age of silver without the consent of any
other nation.
Free Silver Fight.
Mr. Bryan announced that the gold
standard had slain it's tens of thousands
where protection had slain its thousands,
and he abandoned the issue of protection
and free trade, of tariff for revenue, which
now SO attracts him. and he went into
the business of trying to persuade the
people of this country to resort to the
dishonest method of paying their debts by
issuing a debased money, which would be
equivalent to the payment of what the
people owe at the rate of 50 cents on the
dollar. Reputation always has an at
traction for those who are laboring under
debt.
In that campaign Mr.. Bryan prophe-
sled that the continuation of the gold
standard meant uncertainty in employ
ment of labor and hardship to the wage
Garner; that it would send down the price
of farm prCducts-wheat below 30 cents
corn below 20 cents and oats to cents.
He did not have to live two years to see
every prophecy that he made in that cam
paign refuted by the fact.
Opposed McKinley's Policy.
Then there came on the campaign of
1900. In that campaign he still adhered
to his free silver fallacy and still went
about the country trying to explain why
it was that the continuation of the gold
standard had not resulted in the disasters
which he had protested. But lest the is
sue of free silver had become a little
shopworn he brought out as paramount
issue that of anti-imperialism. He an
nounced that If he were not elected in
the next election patriotism would have
ceased to be in this country, the cele-
bration of the Fourth of July would be-
come but memory and that liberty
would die.
"His agitation of this question con-
tinued the war in the Philippines against
the authority of the United States for
nearly two years longer. and many a
poor fellow who lost his life in the service
OF his country in those far distant islands
owes ii directly to the inspiration which
the opposition OF the democracy under
Mr., Bryan made to the policy OF Mr..
Mckinley in the Philippines. He was
beaten on these issues and We continue
to celebrate the Fourth of July with
fervor.
Roosevelt and Militarism.
AT the end of the next four. years Mr..
Parker was nominated. MIR. Bryan still
insisted on inserting in the platform a
clause in favor of free silver. but it was
left out. He then joined with Mr.. Parker
in making the paramount issue the tyran-
ny of Theodore Roosevelt. executive usur-
patton and militarism He denounced Mr..
Roosevelt as completely subject to cor
porate interests and held up to the coun-
try the dangers of war TO which it would
be subjected under a Roosevelt admins
tration. Although the same policy was
being pursued in the PHILIPPINES as before.
imperialism had ceased TO be then para
mount issue.
THE prophecy which Mr.. Bryan made
with reference to the warlike tendencies
OF Mr.. Roosevelt. and to his subsection to
corporate influence, he had only to wait,
as he had to wait in previous instances
when he made a prophecy. some two years
to find then utterly refuted. For never
in the history of the world has any chief
executive had such a triumph in making
peace as Theodore Roosevelt in the Rus
sian-Japanese war, in Central America, in
Santo Domingo and in Cuba, and never in
the history of the country has there been
such a complete triumph over corporate
influence as that which the courage the
honesty and the persistence of Theodore
Roosevelt has wrought during the present
administration.
In the campaign of 1904 and in pre-
! vious campaigns Mr.. Bryan has de-