The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1908-09-26
TAFT ON BRYAN.
The Republican Candidate Reviews
the Record Of His Opponent.
A Faithful Picture % the Elogusut Ne
bTsskan's Vagarics aud
Inconsistencies.

presi dent Of the United States, de-
llvered q notable address lssl tues
day night 10 a great mass meeting ia
Music Hall, Cincinnati, held under
the auspices of the National League OF
Republican Clubs, and after review
ing in mastery manner the com
parative records of the r publican
and Democr attic parties, he cone uded
with faithful and forcible po irayal
OF the political career 81 his chief
opponent, Col. VIM. Jencings Bryan
of Nebraska. The exposition is SO
important and irrefutable thai we feel
justified in according space for its
complete reproduction. Concluding
his statement Of the achievements OF
the Republican party and the Nc
hIdisy aIIl Rouse OF 81 -: .i 49,
Judge Taft said:
Turning nov 10 the other p cure,
what Is II that we have 10 expect from
MIR. Bryan Have We anything to
expect but what be promises? Have
we anything to expect but what is
based upon his eloquepce and his
adroitness as a public critic? Has he
ever given any practical demonstra-
ton of his ability to meet problems
aud solve them? Has he ever done
Anything but formulate in his closet
propositions of an utterly impi actica-
BILE character, largely with a view Of
attr acting votes by their plausibility,
and very little with view OF their
actual operation? BY their fruits ye
shall know Them What is the history
of Mr.. Bry an? It is from beginning
TO end a record of failures on public
questions. We find him first in con-
gress, in the second administration of
Mr.. Cleveland, member of the ways
and means committee, and most active
10 formulating the provisions OF the
German. Wilson tariff bill. After five
months debate it passed both houses
and came to Mr.. Cleveland in such q
shape that he denounced it as piece
of perfdy. 1t leVeled the industries of
this country to the German. Il threw
out of employment millions OF wage
earners. 1t destroyed all business
profit. Farm products for lack of a
N arket fell to point never 50 low in
forty years. Coxey's army marched
from the west to Washington to pro-
test against a government under which
such things were possible.
After having assisted in this suici-
dal policy, after the country was nearly
dead, after the farmers and the wage
earners were staggering under debt
and mortg age, penury and almost
| starvation, Mr.. Bryan defeats the ef-
forts of the only really great Demo-
crat that they have had in the party
for many years, Grover Cleveland,
and hurls at him billingsgate and
denunciation for what reason? Because
he opposes Mr.. Bryan's yet hobby,
that OF the free coinage of silver, with
out the consent of any other nation.
Mr.. Bryan announced that the gold
standard had slain its tens Of thou
sands. where protection had slain its
thousands, and SO he abandoned the
issue of protection and free trade, of
tariff for revenue, which now SO at
tracts him, and he went into the BUSH
ness of trying to persuade the people
of this country to resort to the dis
honest methods of paying off their
debts by issuing debased money which
would be equiv alent to the payment of
what the nation and people owe at the
ate of so cents on the dollar. Re-
pudiation always has an attr action for
those who are laboring under debt.
In that campaign Mr.. Bryan pro-
phesied that the continuation of the
gold standard meant uncertainty in
employment of labor and hardship to
the wage Garner; that it would send
down the price of farm products
wheat below 80 cents; corn below 30
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 facts.
"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 continual
ton of the gold standard had not re-
suited in the disasters which he had
prophesied. But lest the issue of free
silver had become little shop worn,
he brought out as paramount issue
that of anti Imperialism. He an
nounced that if he we're not elected in
the next election patriotism would
have ceased to be 10 this country, the
| celebration of the Fourth of July
would become but a memory, and tina
! liberty would die. His agitation OF
this question continued The war in the
Philippines against the authority OF
the United States for nearly two years
longer, and many poor fellow who
lost his life in the service of his
country in those far distant islands
owes it directly to the Inspiration OF
the opposition which the Democracy
under Mr.. Bryan made to the policy
of Mr.. Mckinley in the Philippines.
HE was beaten on these issues, and