New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-01
ROOT RIDDLES BRYAN
Continued from hrst page
i:sanent In his foot the day before, but stood
throughout his speech without apparent pain.
MR. ROOTS SPEECH

wish to state some reasons which lead me to
oelieve that Mr.. Bryan's election TO tie Presl-
dency would be followed by general and long
continued business disaster; that the recovery
now in progress from the panic Of last year,
would stop; that production would ne curtalea.
many rorkraen thrown out OF employment
wages lowered the market for farm products
and manufactures reduced, ana the income upon
Investments of private inolv1auals Oh satanss
banks and Insurance companies, OF charltdpIe
and educational institutions in a great measure
.ut off: and that long period or etagnauon
and distress would ensue, such as we expert
enoed between 1898 and the election OF Mr. Nc
Wbafever may be the development OF our in
dustrial system in the future, no consiaeraoie
productive enterprise goes on under the present
system without the use Of capital as well as
labor Sometimes in this combination capltai
gets more than its fair share Of the profit and
sometimes the capital is lost altogether, and
then there is no profit and there are no more
wages coming from the enterprise that has
failed. Just as productive enterprise stops when
there is strike because labor Is not satisfied
with its wages, productive enterprise stops
when the owner Of capital ceases to believe that
he VIII get back his investment with profit J
believe that thoughtful men, generally reaIize
that the effect Of labor unions in securing fair
and steady wages and just conditions Tor Iapor
ployer as well as the employed II is eouahS
clear that stability, certainty and natural;
even DEVELOPMENT in law. administration ana
social conditions are important for the WeIfare
Of the whole community employed as well as
employers. because these are necessary TO enanle
Investors to forecast the future and form a rea-
sonable Judgment as TO whether If they put
their none into productive enterprises they Will
make profit or will lose what they put in
RADICAL CHANGES DANGEROUS
Threats OF violent changes which make It i'm
possible TO form judgment as TO the future
course OF business still more threats OF chances
which present the probability Of loss. check IN
vestment and, therefore. check production I'M
rnediateIy. The essential feature or all business
r5epressions IS loss Of confidence in the future
without confidence in the future the manu-
facturer is bound to reduce his purchases Of raw
-iaFS nd is
IN the future the merchant is bound TO reduce
his stock 70 the lowest possible point without
confidence in the future, railroad and 1ndusrla!
securities cannot be sold and new construc-
ton extensions and renewals necessary 10 keep
pace with active business deNelopfneRt caIii1I
be made All these mean men out OF employ
rnent and wages reduced, and men out OF en-
plcyuent and wages reduced mean a decrease
IF the purchasing power OF the country SO tI 81
the products Of the farm and the factory VIII
not find a market and their failure to mo
market would necessarily lead TO stu further
contraction and the continuance Of the process
until some great event like the resumption. OF
specie payments OF 1879, or the election Of Nc
Kinlev in 1895. happens to restore confidence
7 cannot doubt that the election OF MI Bry an
would destroy the confidence necessary 10 tlle
continuance OF industrial and commercial en-.
terprises; and think that his election "Ou4o
Justly destroy confidence
ANY change of government from the admin
tstration OF a party whose principles ana pIac-
teal workings are well known and whose action
e is practically easy to forecast TO new SET
Of men who belong to another party ana Whose
self tends to create doubt ana nesitancy, ana
rhe possibility Of such change always keeps
many business enterprises in suspension peIore
every Presidential election
BRYAN~s THEORIES NOT JEFFERsONIAN.
The possibility of Mr. Bryan,s election. how
ever involves much more than this ordinary
doubt.
We know that he is politician Of great skill.
who Vile really q Popuist in fact as he was
formerly by political afliation. has secured con-
troll OF the machinery Of the Democratic party,
He advocates great variety Of measures, Whcn
are grotesquely inconsistent with the principles
az Thomas jefferson, which would result IN the
complete abandonment Of the doctrine that
that government governs best winch governs
least" and which would bring about an all
powerful centralized government in Washing
ron COMPLETELY destructive Of state sovereignty
Yet the disciples of Jefferson follow him meekly
and appear happy 10 eat out Of his hand. he
has taken the leadership OF those elements OF
the Democratic party which wrecked the second
administration Of Mr.. Cleveland, and many OF
NJ. CleveIands friends and followers, made OF
less stern material than that man Of strong con-
victions and high courage, have attorned TO the
new leader. II appears probable, therefore, tnat
e the Democratic party Is put IN power win IN
MI. Bryan President he will be able 10 Try IN
actual administration and legislation the views
~hich he has expressed. In the Democratic
party there seems 10 be no opinion except MI
Frvau-s and where he leads the party Is sure 10
follow what he wishes 70 have done the party IS
sure 70 undertake If II comes into power
The suggestion has been made that Repub-
lfcan Senate might stand as a bar to carrying
out Mr. Bryan's ideas although he should be
deIusion. Careful observation OF the Senate
leaves little doubt that II the people Of the coun-
try were u give their approval Of MI Bryan by
eIecting him President. and by supporting him
nth Democratic House, q sufficient number OF
Senators elected as Republicans would yield to
the pressure Of the Bryan policies backed by
the force Of that popular Endorsement, to give
effect 10 almost any measure which he might
propose. MI Bryan has publicly declared that
he expects This. and I think his expectation
-zorId be justified
The substa initial question before US, therefore.
t. he he arTe
ENTERPRISE Of The country 70 know that Mr..
Rrvan's views TO be made effective by the
entire force Of the national government Let
rs seek an answer to that question by recalling
+fe views which he has expressed
IS TO ISSUE STILL SMOULDERING-
need not spend time over Mr.. Bryans de-
lotion the free coinage Of silver. He has
omitted that from his platform this year, be
cause il no longer affords popular issue in the
face Of the logic Of events which has disproved
every prophecy upon which he staked his repu-
rstion for political wisdom in his campaign OF
1906 Fs1I+ he has not abjured II. In his speech
~ Albany in 1895 he said:
The Democratic party has begun a war Of
determination against the gold stahoar o
ask no quarter; give no quarter We shall
prosecute our warfare until there IS not an
American citizen who dares TO advocate the
gold standard
IF there is any one who believes that the
gold standard is a good thing or that II must
be maintained warn him not 10 cast ms vote
for me. because promise him that 1t Will not
he maintained in this country longer than am
bic TO get rid of it"
The business men Of the country will not for
get that under our laws il would still be pos
eibIe II Sfr Bryan were President and time Of
stringency were 10 come, TO completely destroy
rhe single gold standard by Executive acton
end 20 bring on q trial Of his favorite theory
through the enactment OF law TOT the 1fee
coinage Of silver.
He has declared himself in favor of the in