Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-09-23
Disasters He ForetoId Never Come
to Pass.
OPPOSITE is ALWAYS TRUE.
Gold Standard Does Not Stay, Nor
Does It Write Future In Blood.


lamities which he has foretold would
have brought unlimited disaster to the
country IL they had ever been realized.
Bot they never came to pass. The har-
rowing pictures which he painted were
merely fgments of his Imagination,
based on absolutely no foundation
whatever.
1t is well to have Americans remem-
Der that prophecies uttered by the ora
tor Of the Platte must be discounted
fully 100 per cent, for all signs indi-
cate that he feels the fates once more
and is about to begin prophesying
again. A male Cassandra, Mr.. Bryan
might by this time have learned that
the forecast of evil will never be be-
lieved by those who have found that
In the past his vaccinations have been
but empty air.
"Driving Country to Ruin"
n For instance, when Mr.. Bryan was a
mber of the House Of Representa-
IS in 1892 he was absolutely certain
IL n protection was driving the coun-
Try headlong to rack and ruin, and In
his speech delivered March 16 of that
year he drew the following agonizing
pictures:
Protection has been our cannibal
tree, and as one after another of our
farmers has been driven by the force
Of circumstances upon that tree and
has been crushed within its folds his
companions have stood around and
shouted, Great is protection!
Thus In every State, so far as these
statistics have been collected, the pro-
portion OF home owning farmers Is de-
creasing and that Of tenant farmers
Increasing. This means but one thing.
Il means a land OF landlords and ten
ants, and, backed by the history OF
very nation that has gone down, say
b you that no people can continue
free people under free government
hen the great majority of its citizens
re tenants OF small minority. Your
ystem protective tariff has driven
u. farm owner from his land and
INSTITUTED the farm tenant"
How far this picture portrays, the
merica of to-day or the America of.
nv yeqr since he made that speech
ny American can answer. Even in
ir Bryan's own State he can find an
nswer right at his doors, for the farm
n,ds of Nebraska have doubled In
alue.
"Murderous Gold Standard"
Bu, during the four years succeeding
het speech Mr.. Bryan's agitation grew
10 less nor did the demon which he
iad raised in his own imagination hide
With diminished head, for in 1896 he
gain saw destitution threatening the
ountry. He had remedy for 1t,
anacea, fetch which he held up for
,orship-free silver: Here are some
7 the things Mr.. Bryan said would
appen il the gold standard were con-
4nued:
btPls thdt ~ piOlCNtioh mas oihhi
thousands the gold standard has
ain its tens of thousands. From
beech at Democratic National Conven-
on, July, 1896.
s'Do not let the Republicans beguile
~: about the future. The future is
lritten in blood crushed out Of you by
Bid From speech at Erie. Pa. Au-
lst. 1896.
S"Ah, my friends. there Is another
ason why people have gone into the
ties and left the farms. 1t Is be-
9iIsc your legislation has been caus-
the foreclosure OF mortgages upon
the gold standard goes on and peO-
2 continue to complain, the gold stan
rd advocates instead Of trying to i'm
owe the condition OF the people will
recommending that You close your
hoos so that the people will not real
how much they are suffering
wln speech at Monmouth. H.. Octo-
n, 1896.
But whom mas tue BOiu Stduudru
lin? What future did II write In
,od? What district schools did 1t
,se? Again the condition of the
lntry makes calm reply confutlng
impassioned orator.
Campaigning again In 1900 Mr.. Bry-
decided that imperialism was an
Ter danger to the country. II 1t were
ltinued the Fourth of July would be
gotten by all Americans and the
brit OF rs" would become a thing
the past. Speaking at Lincoln, Mr..
yam said:
Sees Death Of Patriotism.
" "rhe fight this year will be to carry
the sentiment OF that song we have
qfien repeated, My Country, Ills or
e, II we lose, our children and
children's children will not succeed
ne spirit of that song, and celebra-
of the Fourth Of July Will pass
y, for the spirit Of the empire will
pom u.s."
there any spot In these United
N WHARF the spirit OF l776 ID dead