Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1911-09-07
WnMam J Bryan.

~ MS Keen insight 10 many pub.
lie questions. His speeches on the
tariff were among the best heard
from any public man in the days
when he was given to discussing
that question. His discussion OF
other government and sociologi-
cal problems have l,een such az
to attract the ati ention Of men
in all countries, so that when lie
Travelled abroad a few years ago
he was greeted as no other Amer.
icon not having held the Presi.
dental office has ever been greet
ed. He struck the true note 10 the
Philippine question as soon a. it
got to I've q question, and no
Democrat surely can say that he
was wrong aboutit. Democrats
believe that this country had no
right to force its government up
on those people. and that it
should withdraw from the islands
as soon as possible, meantime
making it plain that such was
the intention. Mr.. Bryan has pre-.
sented his views with such mark.
ed ability on many other ques-
tions~ that even when he " q 8
wrong, as he has been all too fire.
quently, he was able to convince
thousands, and among them 9TH
er men Of real ability. that be
was right. No mere "phrase-ma-
ker" can maintain himself go long
in the high opinion OF the world
a. Mr.. Bryan has done.
He has performed great service
to the country in teaching tn e
people that the public should
know before election what t h e
candidates had spent and were
about to spend; that the people
should choose their own candi-
dates for Office, unhampered by
boss dictation-in short, that
the people thould really rule the
country. He has taught-a n d
was teaching it while Others were
denying-that the government
had the right to control the
great corporations, and that it
was its duty to, do go He has
had great deal to do with brin-
ging about the change in public
sentiment in the matter Of tax
ing incomes, to the end that the
end that the men who enjoy the
swollen fortunes Of the country
should be forced to pay a just
proportion OF its running expens'
ts. He was among the leaders OF
the new thought npolitics which
is sweeping over the country,
breaking the grip of those who
have been debating elections in
their own selfish interest and en-
larging the powers and s tirrine
up the interest ofthe masses. His
Nldeas are high, AS shown by his
continued advocacy Of clean gov
eminent, his unconquerable be-
lief in the right OF the labors to
the enjoyment of the fruits of his
toll, and the unfaltering faith hs
exhibits in the final triumph ol
popular government over the ills
with which it is besst, by teach-
ing the people 20 thiag for them
selves and act for themselves,
and by educating them TN public
questions they may think and
act intplligently.
The Sun knows that MIR. Bry.
an has made serious mistakes in
rertain directions, but that does
not prove that he is lacking in
ability in all. Because he h a 6
shown a lack of equipoise in deal
ing with those who have disa-
greed with him recently is not
sufficient reason to forget t h G
high character OF the naD, and
the fact that, however he may
have lost the way on occasion.
his general course bas been to-
warI the right, or toward t h e
right as he saw it.