The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1915-06-19
Another of Bryan's Crusndes

Laying aside all questions of political utilization the
country will sit in judgment upon Mr.. Bryan, in his pres
ent attitude, in full knowledge and making allowance for
the fact, that men who have long occupied the limelight
of high office lose all sense Of proportion with regard to
the Importance of their own personalities as Influences upon
great national issues. Mr.. Bryan's public career has been
characterized throughout by conduct that has been calcu-
lated to elicit extreme appreciation or condemnation, &C
cording to the views of his adherents or opponents. Him
self an extremist of most pronounced type, intolerant of
opposition to his own views, he has left open to the public
no middle course in its %appraisement of his acts, and it
need cause him no surprise if the universal sentiment to-
ward him, at this juncture, is one of decided Impotence.
From the time of his advent into public life it has ap-
parently been the desire of Mr.. Bryan to appear in the role
of a crusader. Thus far his personally conducted crusades
do not appear to have accomplished any important results
beyond keeping their chief protagonist in the public eye.
1t is not impugning MIR. Bryans honesty Of purpose in the
least to question the wisdom of a movement, such as he
proposes, at the present time. The Government of this
country is now facing problems of vital moment; problems
that will require the most careful handling and that will
occupy every effort of the president and his advisors to
bring to a successful issue. Our Government, too often
spoken of as an Administration and regarded from a pure
ly political angle, has need of the support of men who are
in the position of leaders of thought and sentiment, and
such men, if they cannot consistently approve of the course
of the Government, should refrain from useless criticism
and from creating sentiment in opposition to the acts of
the Government. True patriotism would seem to die
tate a course better calculated to indicate to other nations
that the official acts of this country were performed by a
Government and not by a political party.
No one will question Mr.. Bryan's right to resign his
portfolio as Secretary of State on grounds of principle, but
it is questionable if the people will condone his utterances
in his statements to the public in which he plainly seeks
to enlist a following in a movement directly opposed to the
course and attitude of the Government. Also, the people
will hardly take seriously his pose as a martyr to the cause
of peace, with his declaration of willingness to bear any
punishment, from ostracism to execution" This, like
many OF his earlier announcements, smacks far too much
of the theatrical. In private life and as the champion of a
new system, Mr.. Bryan can without doubt exert a benefi-
cal influence in favor of ultimate peace, but his crusade
should be less a personal issue and should be so conducted
that it would not render more difficult the already exceed
lngly complex tasks facing those who are responsible to
the country for its conduct through the present crisis. Mr..
Bryan's statements to the public are lacking in modesty,
to say the least, since he openly places his personal views on
a par with those voiced by the president, whose statements
do not represent his individual opinions, but the views of
the executive department of our Government, decided upon
by the president and his official advisors after painstakine
deliberation.
In his statement today Mr.. Bryan declares that all pre-
sumptions that go with power and authority are on the
side of the president. On the other hand, the advantage is
altogether with Mr.. Bryan's position in acquiring the desir-
ability OF peace and the wrong of war, since Mr.. BRYAN, as
a private citizen, is not bound nor hampered bv considera-
lions of international law or by power and authority"
which must of necessity temper any action that can be
taken by the head of the Government. Mr.. BRYAN is a free
lance and is taking advantage of his liberty of action in a
manner that will hardly be commended bv the country at
large.
A marked increase in mining activity is to be noted
al many points in southern Nevada. The Pioneer, Gold
Mountain, Hornsilver, Cuprite and other mining districts
will soon be undergoing development upon a broad scale
and are destined to greatly augment the metal production