Conservative. i 1
1806 and the Bryau of 1900 as a mail is
oven more striking than that between
the two as orators , and it was made
very plain last evening. Four years ago
the democratic-populist candidate was
perfectly frank and outspoken. Ho de
clared his position so plainly that nobody -
body could doubt it. Ho took pains to
say that ho wanted nobody to vote for
him under any misapprehension. At
Philadelphia , September 28 , 1800 , for
example , he said that "if anybody
should believe that the gold standard
was absolutely essential to the welfare
of this country , he ought not to vote for
me at all. I do not want any man to
vote for me and then object to my doing
what I expect to do if you elect me , and
if I can prevent the maintenance of the
gold standard , you can rely upon my
doing it the very first possible oppor
tunity given me. "
Bat now Bryan evades the gold stan
dard issue. The other day he asked
Roosevelt a dozen questions , and the
governor promptly answered every one.
In turn Roosevelt asked him three ques
tions , the first of which was as to his
intentions regarding the gold standard ,
and he refused to answer. He began
his speech at the Garden last evening
by saying that he was ' 'glad to defend
our cause in this great centre of popula
tion , of industry , and of wealth ; " and
he knew that what this population is
most concerned about is his attitude to
ward the currency question. But he
refused to state his position. He refus
ed , too , although he discussed another
than the so-called "
question - "para
mount" one of Imperialism , and talked
at length about Trusts. There was
never so plain a case of a candidate's
evading an important issue.
The dominant impression produced by
Bryan's appearance in this city , as by
his course during the last few weeks , is
that of lack of sincerity. He often
gives utterance to the most excellent
sentiments , particularly on the subject
of Imperialism ; but the listener cannot
help wondering whether he means any
thing more by them than he did four
months ago when he declared , over and
over again , that the currency , Trusts
and Imperialism are the three great is
sues before the people this year , one as
important as another , while now he will
not tell how he stands on the currency
question. Wherever Bryan appeared
last night , he seemed the actor in his
bearing ; and he seemed the actor , too ,
in his treatment of public questions ,
taking up one part and then another as
one or other promises to draw well.
It is not such a candidate that appeals
to the independent voter at best. Least
of all does he commend himself to such
a voter when he comes to a metropolis
cursed by the domination of the worst
political machine that ever afflicted a
civilized city , under the patronage of
its odious boss , and exclaims , "Great is
Tammany , and Orokeris its prophet. ' ! . ,
' * T
* l
Dll. EI..1OT ON POIiITIOAI. TENDEN
CIES.
The current number of the Outlook
contains an article by President Eliot of
Harvard University , entitled , "Political
Principles and Tendencies , " in which he
discusses the political problems now
confronting the people.
"You have asked me , " ho begins , "for
an academic article on the political
principles and tendencies involved in
the approaching presidential election
an article which shall not dwell on the
fears and hopes of today , but rather
describe the deep and far-reaching cur
rents of events and opinions. This
request seems to imply that the election
this fall is not a supreme crisis , like the
second election of Lincoln but only one
indispensable act in a long drama. At
any rate that is my opinion. "
Referring to commercialism as a per
manent policy for the American people ,
he says :
"Those men and those parties that
suppose the American people likely to
be permanently guided in their political
action by any sordid commercialism or
other form of national selfishness are
grievously mistaken. Some party man
agers and all mercenary voters are
governed by mean motives ; but the
mass of the people is never much in
fluenced by pecuniary considerations in
politics. The American people have
long had a characteristic political and
social enthusiasm. Their two steady ,
passionate sentiments are for the secur
ity , prosperity , and honor of the repub
lic , and for the spread among the white
races of free institutions and of the good
social conditions which grow out of
them. Whenever the people of the
United States are to be called on for
great exertions and sacrifices , they have
first to be persuaded that such exertions
and sacrifices will contribute to one or
other of these two causes which they
have at heart. The various policies ,
whether domestic or foreign , of political
parties should always be considered with
reference to these fundamental national
passions and sentiments. "
He then takes up the three principal
topics of political discussion , the gold
standard , the civil service and the pro
tective tariff. About the gold standard
he says :
"The important gains which have lately
been made on this subject are due to a
majority of the republican party and a
minority of the democratic ; but at this
moment the great cause of sound cur
rency is practically defended by the
republican party alone. "
The subject of next importance is "a
public service based on merit only , but
the mass of neither party is as yet to be
trusted with it. " He asks how this re
form can be promoted at the present
moment , and replies : "The personal
and political history of the candidates of
the republican party should cause them
to be preferred on this issue to the
candidates of the democratic-populist
party ; for of the two candidates nomi
nated by the hitter party , one -is a
notorious spoilsman , and the other ,
being a civilian without military experi
ence , accepted a colonelcy in time of
war. That act speaks louder than
orations. Moreover , recent experience
shows that neither party can as yet be
trusted to forego a spoils debauch at a
complete change of the national ad
ministration. "
Turin'
Speaking of the possibility of freer-
trade regulations he says :
"Since the democratic party has abso
lutely thrown away the low-tariff posi
tion which such leaders as Cleveland ,
Carlisle , Wilson , and Russell won for ifc ,
the reciprocity doctrine of the republi
can party seems to afford the best imme
diate opportunity for liberal legislation ;
although it must be confessed that
progress towards worldwide trade is
more likely to come through the logic of
events than through legislation that is ,
through the increasing superiority of
American industries aud the manifest
insufficiency of the home market.
Against- this chance of improving com
mercial and industrial conditions by
reciprocity treaties must be set the
strange subserviency of the republican
party leaders to small groups of capital
ists , who , having made great sums of
money by means of high-tariff legisla
tion , are willing to make large contri
butions to republican campaign expenses
in the expectation of preserving their
special privileges. The 'machine' or
boss' is , however , much the same cor
rupt and corrupting agency in both
parties , Messrs. Quay and Platt being
well matched by Messrs. Gorman and
Oroker. "
The Integrity of the CourtH.
He refers to the labor outbreaks which
have , on several occasions , required the
use of the military and the aid of the
courts to establish order. "In this state
of affairs , " he says , "any attack on the
independence of the judiciary is much
to be deprecated. Such an attack is
made for the second time in the platform
of the democratic-populist party.
"In regard to foreign policy it is not
easy to state any material difference
between the declared policies of the two
great parties. President MoKinley and
Mr. Bryan use different phrases in de
scribing their foreign policies ; but when
it came to action , in all probability their
policies would be much alike. Presi
dent McKinley , in his unwonted func
tion of sovereign and arbitrary ruler ,
committed a lamentable error in the
tone of his proclamation to the Filipinos
of December , 1898 , and thereby involved
his country in a cruel war or rather a
long series of military executions with
a semi civilized but liberty-loving people
who fought by our side against the
Spaniards , and who ought to have been
invariably addressed with the utmost
consideration , not as purchased subjects
or conquered foes , but as comrades and
friends. The patriotic citizen may well
hesitate to contribute by vote or infln-