Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-09-22
Gang Ny countrymen.

,.,,-daIe Mich) Daily: What a
.snge has come over the politis'ans'
sD po,,otrvmen. Four years ago, ger :
~ the name of Bryan was
'l hing up end down the land de-
ling the publication OF political
.,ibntions to political parties be-
a,oction a. we'll as after. He was
la at and secuted, defeated 10y Mr..
a and has been abused, ridlculed,
derijled more than any other
..t man in the history OF the coun-
Vet a few daysago this same man
Y the pleasure of knowing that the
.;dent who defeated him had to
!. the publicity bill he advocated,
suse his fight for the measure had
a. II so popular the president dared
!, veto it. 1t is one thing 10 be the
.,.ident backed by powerful ma
lime but greater thing to be pri-
,scitizen, without machine or a
,tv who by mere force of right is
sle TO stir the public conscience up to
y notnt that his opponent dare not
-.to the measure he has made popular.
While history will never give to Bry-
u the position he is rightfully entitled
!. b,ld as Americas greatest COM
noner, vet in spite of the antagonisms
4 4 organized greed more of the reform
.oosures he has advocated and made
popular in the interest of the average
american, have been written into the
.ws of the nation and the state than
,.s been accorded to any other man
IN the history of the country. Although
10 NAV never be president, the reform
continent of the country may yet re-
alive that to enforce its reform
upssures it will be necessary some
dsy to place a man in the presidential
chair whose heart beats in sympathy
With the great mass of the people of
america and whose whole admins
ration would be devoted not to pre-
venting reform measures beng placed
an the statute books but to getting
them on the books and seeing them
enforced.
Some day people are going to realize
that politicians and officials opposed
TO reform measures are rot the kind to
select to enact and enforce them.
When that time comes, Mr.. Bryan,
vino yet young man, will loom up
arger than ever. Although he may
never be president, the trend of public
sentiment is SO decidedly in favor of
the reforms he advocates the time may
yet come when the public will want to
see the man who made the reforms
possible in a position to make them
secure sThat would have been the SEN
sible course 10 have pursued long ago,
but the American people have long
been sloti on political common sense,
although they are To ue congratulated
Oalle awakening that is TO be noticed
On every hai Il and in every walk of
public life. No greater evidence of this
is necessary than 10 state the fact thai
len wears 90 the kind of political re.
l0rn ath tLai is bow heing given on a
thousand chauiauqaa platforms and
ippIauded by republicans and demo-
,ats alike would have split the aver
lge community into factions. The
people are awakening and the CRATER
is doomed. The statesman
@ho IS ostensibly serving the public,
jut really working for the great cor
is having his last inning.
And above the roar of the conflict let
tnot be forgotten that the one man
Who has never wavered in the fight
Or better government, who has never
eased to uphold the highest ideals,
wen at the price of public preferment,
5 none other than this same man Bry-
~, who has been hooted at and Missed
At for fifteen years, but has right to
Ne happier every day as he sees the
walls of corrupt political j erlcho
alling-giving way to an era of re-
orm that his advocacy has largely
made popular. These are great days for
he men who believe in the people -
HIllsdale (Mich.) Daily,