The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-10-31
Mr.. BRYAN'S FITNESS
FOR The PRESIDENCY

When all that can be said. has been
said In the present campaign, when
all the issues which may honestly
cause a division of opinion among
thinking men, are set aside, and
when the contest Is stripped of all
conflicting contentious. the one para
mount fact stands out in bold relief,
that no candidate ever entered the
race for the presidency better fitted
to discharge the functions of that
high office than William Jennings
Bryan. In the first place Mr.. Bry-
an Is an honest man. He Is sincere.
Not even bis most bitter political
opponents have ever had the temerity
to question his honesty or to doubt
his sincerity. His life has been
clean, his character is above re-
proach. He has lived in the open;
his every act both in public and pri-
vate life Is subject to the closest
scrutiny. For tweive years he has
occupied the spotlight of publicity
without blinking. He rings true to
the highest ideals OF human life.
There is no stain upon his escutch-
con; no skeletons in his closet. He
typlfes In the highest degree the
lofty conception OF American man
hood. No citizen. in private life, by
hxy Arla nj
deeds, has done more for the moral
and material uplift of all the people
than has Mr.. Bryan.
There is no greater student of
political and economic conditions in
the United States today than Mr..
Bryan. 1t is his knowledge of his
tory coupled with his keen Judgment
of men and measures which enables
him to grasp and understand present
day conditions. His ideals, grounded
in human sympathy, have been broad
ened and strengthened by travel and
study. His Investigations into social
and political conditions have not been
to his own country, but have
embraced almost every civilized
land.
Mr.. Bryan is an optimist and
He looks upon the
bright side of things and believes
that the world is growing better. He
sees ways and means by which that
betterment might be advanced, and
with all of his marvellous ability and
great force of character he strives for
heir accomplishment. He has not
labored solely within the narrow con-
lines OF partisanship. Never has he
nesitated TO commend the acts Of a
Republican administration wherein
he believed them to be for the benefit
If the whole people. His oommenda-
ion Of the good has been as strong
rs his denunciatlon of the bad. He
las, within the past 12 years, lived
o see some of the important funda-
mental principles for which he stood
become the accepted doctrines OF
)arty and administration which, but
! short time before, had rejected
hem and condemned him for advo-
'ating them.
Mr.. Bryan's career has demonstrate
ID that without holding public office
| man may gain the very best ex-
'erience for the performance OF public
luty, particularly when, to that
experience we add honesty and sim
Gritty of purpose. These present the
and especial fitness OF
Ar. Bryan for the presidency. no
nan with his heart in the right place
s is Mr.. Bryan's with his hand up
n the public pulse. and with his
for the advancement OF
he welfare of the whole people. can
all to achieve signal success as
resident. The time has passed when
fr. Bryan was wrongfully consid-
red a mere thcorist. He is looked
pom now as an intensely practical
ian as a man OF experience. His
will be one Of pro-
ress along safe lines.