The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-09-17
D|STRUSTS MR. BRYAN
Letter of an Old Time Democrat
to His Son.
COMPARES TWO CANDIDATES.

Demonstrated Ability CT Mr.. Taft Con-
trasted With the VacilIation Of the
Democratic Leader Progressive
Conservatism Versus RadicaIism.
My Dear Son. yoi, 5ar& now of age
and about to exercise the right of an
American citizen for the first time.
Since you appear undecided as to
which party TO ally yourself with and
have asked my advice upon this point
| will impart to you my own feelings
in the matter.
| have regarded with increasing
alarm the growing radicalism of the
Democratic party and bave long ques-
toned the wisdom of many of its meas
ures and both the sincerity and ability
Of certain of its leaders. | have, how
ever, never hesitated until the present
election to give it my unqualified sup
port. for, while disliking Mr.. Bryan
and heartily disappearing platform
devoted to the free and unlimited coin
age Of silver as opposed to sound mon
ey and gold standard, | nevertheless
remembered my party loyalty and vot-
ed the Democratic ticket. For the
same reason | voted as | had always
done In the election of 1900, though
less in sympathy with the Democratic
platform than ever before and thor
Oughly convinced that the humanity of
the American people would in the long
run entirely approve the action of a
Republican administration in liberat.
ing Cuba and the Philippines from the
Shackles of Spain, in developing their
resources and in governing them wise
ly and firmly until such a time as they
should be enabled to stand upon their
own feet
When in 1901 Mr.. Parker received
the nomination Of my party | enter
tained lively hopes that we had at last
hit upon man who would unite the
conservatism of the old with the pro-
gressiveness of new Democracy. You
will perhaps recall how bitterly | was
to be disappointed, both in the make
shift policy of the party and in the
bloodless character of the man,
After the overwhelming defeat Of
1904 gradually awoke to the fact that
! was almost totally out of sympathy
with the controlling forces in my par
ty and began to feel something of dis
gust for the advocates of Populism,
bimetalism. Imperialism and radical
ism. | am now of the opinion that the
Democratic party cannot hold its con-
Bervatives and its Socialists at the same
time The bonds were bound to break
and have done so. Feeling the lack of
leader, thousands of the moderate
wing of the Democratic party have
focked to the Republican standard.
have watched whole states become Re
publican which had always been
! stanchly Democratic. This will un-
doubtedly be true of Kentucky and
Tennessee, and | should not be sur
prised to see Georgia and Florida fol-
lowing In their lead.
In looking over the platforms of the
two principal parties have been able
to discover so little dissimilarity and
hostility in all of the more vital meas
ures that begin to feel strongly that
BE ensuing elections will be question
of men rather than of issues and for
this reason advise you to scrutinize the
characters and careers Of the respec-
tive candidates with the greatest care,
Both are men of the highest personal
character and irreproachahle in private
and personal qualities. The crucial
test Is In the showing of their qualih-
cations for public administration of
large affairs and in their perception of
the true public interest in the issues
of the day Such test and such a
comparison, 1t seFms t" NE, are greatly