JUNE 22, 1908
The Commoner
5
WAS IT A TRIUMPH OF INTELLIGENCE, MORALITY AND PATRIOTISM?
It is interesting to read some of the inter
views, speeches and editorials delivered in be
half of the republican party during the 189G cam
paign in the light of recent developments. Nearly
every one of the men conspicuous in recent day
oxposures, were quoted by the republican news
papers in behalf of republican victory and it was
invariably on the plea that the national honor
must be preserved.
Remembering that the republican campaign
fund in 1896 was as unmistakably shown by re
cent disclosures largely made up of mis-appropriated
trust funds, it is interesting to read some
of the things written by. newspaper editors with
respect to the republican victory.
The Chicago Record-Herald, then known as
the Times-Herald, said: "The great conserva
tive patriotic sentiment of the country has re
sponded with mighty power. The bulwarks of
law and order in this republic are impregnable.
Popular government is not a failure. It was a
famous victory."
The Philadelphia Public Ledger said: "Men
were inspired by the highest Ideals of patriotism
to pu'c aside partisanship and, in this great crisis
In their country's history, to' put party behind
them, to put country to the fore, and keep it
there invulnerably intrenched in public virtue and
patriotism. The momentous conteBt brought to
gether at the polls men of thought and con
science from all parties, of all shades of political
opinion, to contend together for the safe guarding
of the honor of the nation, the upholding of ob
servance of the law, the defense, of the political
freedom of the judiciary, the social indivisibility
of the American people; no classes, no masses."
The New York World said: "It is a triumph
of morality, and patriotism. Democratic votes,
guided by conscience and independence, gave to
the magnificent column in favor of sound money,
law, order and national authority, these states
all of which voted for the democratic candidate
in 1892: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana,
New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Wisconsin,
Kentucky, West Virginia. Never before has there
been such a test of democratic conscience and
courage."
The New York Tribune said: "There are
some movement so base, some causes so de
praved, that neither victory can justify them nor
defeat entitle them to commiseration. Such a
cause was that which was vanquished yesterday,
by the favor of God and the ballots of the Ameri
can people. While it wa3 active and menacing,
it was unsparingly denounced .and revealed as
what it was, in all its- hideous deformity. Now
that it is crushed dut of the very semblance of
being, there is no reason why such judgment
of it should be revised. The thing was conceived
in iniquity and was brought forth in sin. It
had its origin in a malicious conspiracy against
the honor and Integrity of the nation. It gained
such monstrous growth as it on loved frnm nn
assiduous culture of the basest passions of tho
least worthy members of the community. It has
been defeated and destroyed because right is
right and God Is God. Its nominal head was
worthy of tho cause. Nominal, because the
wretched rattlo-pated boy, posing in vapid vanity
and mouthing resounding rottenness, was not
the real leader of that league of hell. He was
only a puppet in the blood-Imbrued hands of
Altgeld, the anarchist, and Debs, the revolution
ist, and other desperadoes of that stripe. But
ho was a willing puppet, Bryan was, willing and
eager. Not one of his masters was more apt than
ho at lies and forgeries and blasphemies, and all
Vlio nameless iniquities of that campaign against
the Ten Commandments. Ho goes down with
the cause, and must abide with it in the history of
infamy. He had less provocation than Benodict
Arnold, less intellectual force than Aaron Burr,
less manliness and courage than Jefferson Davis.
He was the rival of them all in deliberate wick
edness and treason to the republic. His name
belongs with theirs, neither the most brilliant
nor the least hateful in the list. Good riddance
to it all, to conspiracy and conspirators, and to
tho foul menace of repudiation and anarchy
against tho honor and life of the republic. The
people have dismissed it with no uncertain tones.
Hereafter let there be whatever controversies
men may please about the tariff, about tho cur
rency, about the Monroe doctrlno, and all the
rest. But let there never again bo a proposition
to repeal the moral law, to garble the consti
tution, and to replace the stars and stripes with
the red flag of anarchy. On those other topics
honest men may honestly differ, In full loyalty
to the republic. On these latter there is no room
for two opinions, save In the minds of traitors,
knaves and fools."
The Louisville Courier-Journal said: "Thank
God for the triumph, and thank God for the
travail, too. For without the trial such a
triumph could not have been and until such a
triumph was achieved by our people we could
never have been sure of one of tho pillars of
our governmental fabric, because it had never
been tested."
The Washington Star said: "It is the bright
est chapter in the history of the American press
and It will never be surpassed."
The comments of European papers were
printed conspicuously by the republican news
papers in this country. The London Times said:
"The American people have earned tho congrat
ulations of the whole world. They have vindi
cated the character of the republic for honesty
and dignity, and for contempt for demagoguic
arts."
The London Standard said: "The hopelessly
ignorant and savagely covetous waifs and strays
of American civilization voted for Bryan, but
the bulk of the solid sense, business Integrity,
and social stability sided with McKinloy. Tho
nation Is to bo congratulated."
Tho London Pall Mall Gazette said: "Tho
decision Ib accepted with universal consent in
this country as being emphatically to tho credit
of tho American olectorato."
Tho Paris dos Debate said: "The result has
dollvorcd America from a great peril."
How tho viows of men do change! '' "
It is not cllfllcult these days to learn from
the columns of tho Chicago Record-Herald "that
the "bulwarks of law and order in this ropubjlc"
are not "impregnable" if loft In charge of tho
men who provided tho republican party with its
campaign funds In 1896.
Even tho staid old Public Ledger of Phila
delphia does not now contend that the "con
science" of all America was concentrated for
republican victory. From the columns of tho
Public Ledger ono may loam that "tho honor
of tho nation," etc., is not entirely safe In the
hands of tho men through whoso monoy and In
fluence the republican victory In 1896 was made
possible.
Tho columns of the New York World dis
close that tho result in 1896 was not, after all,
such "a triumph of morality and patriotism" as
tho World once professed to believe.
The Washington Star, just now Indulging
In bitter criticism of tho republican administra
tion, shows in its editorial columns, as well as
in fts news reports, that It is not so cock-sure
that tho republican victory proved "tho brightest
chapter."
The Louisville Courier-Journal seems not so
grateful for tho "triumph" or for the "travail"
as it once was.
The New York Tribune Is just now printing
some wonderfully dignified editorials with re
spect to tho "cause" to which it gave such un
gracious farewell in 1896. Tho news columns
of the Tribune have in recent days proved that
whatover there was in the campaign of 1896 in
volving "an attack upon tho honor and integrity
of the nation;" whatever there was of "con
spiracy," of "anarchy against the honor and life
of the republic;" whatever there was of 'tlie
proposition to repeal the, moral law,, to garble
tho constitution, and to replace tho stars and
stripes with tho red flag of anarchy" these
propositions were written indelibly upon tho
hearts of the men who misappropriated monoy
for tho use and benefit of the republican party
in order that private monopoly might bo perpetu
ated, while greed and avarice ran riot.
And what of these European newspapers?
These same European papers, which congratulat
ed the American people upon the "vindication of
tho character of the republic for honesty and
dignity," upon tho "business integrity," ana upon
tho "delivery of America from a great peril," now
bitterly speak of the greed and inhumanity of
these whilom "defenders of national honor,"
DISPATCHES FROM MR. BRYAN
An Associated Press dispatch under date of
Berlin, June 13, follows:
"William J. Bryan, who was in Berlin today,
expressed the opinion that the next presidential
election in tho United States will turn on the
trust question.
"Being asked about the prospect of the pass
age of reciprocity treaties, Mr. Bryan said he is
in favor of a general reduction of tariff duties,
in which case reciprocal treaties with foreign
countries would be superfluous.
"The democratic leader expressed surprise
on learning of the adoption, by democratic state
conventions of resolutions favoring his nomina
tion for the presidency in 1908.
" 'This is so sudden,' he said, with a laugh.
'This is the first announcement of the news to
me. I have been off the, main caravan route for
some time and have been absorbed in what I
have been seeing and doing.'
"Mr. Bryan had been moving so rapidly
since he left Vienna on Friday that .letters and
telegrams for him did not reach him until to
day. As to the possibility of his nomination he
had little to say, declaring is too early to speak
of that question.
"He made the recent revelations regarding
conditions in the meat packing industry the text
for a sermon against the evils of private
monopoly. ' - -v
u 'The beef trust is not different- in character
and methods from other trusts,' he said. 'The
inevitable tendency of a private monopoly Is to
increase the price of a product and to lower its
quality. Why should any one expect anything
else from a trust than the lowering of quality
when a monopoly Is established?
"'Observe I have used the s words private
monopoly, not public. In a private monopoly a
private interest is set up against those of the
whole people. Quite a different principle comes
into operation when the- interest of all Is alone
in view.'
"Alluding to the subject of the political re
quirements of the day, he said:
"'Before leaving home I tried to distinguish
between democracy and what can properly be
called socialism. Democracy recognizes competi
tion as legitimate and tries to protect the com
petitive principle from attack. Socialism sees
competition as an evil to be eliminated by pub
lic ownership and operation of all means of pro
duction and distribution.
'"While this distinction between democracy
' and socialism should not be overlooked, the dem
ocratic platform must be one of progress and
reform, and not merely of opposfcion to repub- .
lican policies or socialistic ideas.
'"In our fight for the absolute elimination
of private monopolies and for the regulation of
corporations in general It is necessary that the
party shall be free from any suspicion of alliance
with the corporate interests that have been domi
nating American politics.
'"To this end campaign contributions must
be limited to those who desire to advance tho
public interest. I trust that public sentiment
will require all parties to keep their books open
so that hereafter no party will bo under private
obligations to shield corporate offenders.'
"Herman Rldder of the New York Staats
Zeltung and Mr. Bryan had a long talk today
on the political situation In tho United States.
Mr. Bryan will leave here for St. Petersburg to
morrow and from there will visit Sweden and
Norway. He will arrive In England early in
July and will then visit France, Italy and Switzer
land. He expects to sail on the steamship Prin
cess Irene from Gibraltar on August 20, and to
arrive in New York on August 29. "Mr. Bryan
has accepted an invitation to make a speech in
London at the American celebration of the Fourth
of July'
Under date ofSt. Petersburg, June 14, tho
Associated Press says: "William J. Bryan was
an interested spectator of the proceedings in tho
lower house of parliament today. During the
agrarian debate, which was continued through
out tho morning session, he occupied a seat In
the diplomatic box as the guest ot Ambassador
Meyer and during the recess Mr. Bryan dis
cussed the situation with some of the leaders
of the house who appeared anxious to explain
their views to the distinguished American.
"Among others Mr. Bryan talked with, wan
M. Alladin, leader of the peasant workmen group,
which is now called the group of toll and is th
most radical element in parliament."
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