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About The Conservative (Nebraska City, Neb.) 1898-1902 | View Entire Issue (July 25, 1901)
Ji T'fc ' ; ' " * * V V' ' V , ; VS ' - % T be Conservative. MR. BRYAN'S RESPONSE. It was iuovitablo that Mr. Bryan should make some response to the action of the Ohio democratic con volition.-The vote taken in that body was so direct a repudiation both of the Kansas City platform and of himself as a leader of the party , that to leave it unnoticed would bo interpreted as acquiescence in it. Accordingly we are quite prepared to learn that the Commoner contains a response of so decided a tone that it might be classed as the countercheck quarrelsome to the Ohio democrats , and to all others who agree with them. How numerous these are the public may gather from the extracts wo are publish ing from the leading organs of the party and from the interviews with democratic leaders. The acclaim that has come up from the South echoing the Ohio platform is the most significant demonstration of all , since it comes from a quarter which is able to lay down the law to the entire party. The competency of the southern wing of the party to control its action in national conventions , is not disputed , yet its power has seldom or never been exer cised. It has been a latent power alto gether. If the South had carried out its own purposes and given expression to its own beliefs at Kansas City last year , the platform would not have con tained the silver plank which was adopted , or any other on that subject. The southern delegates , however , fol lowed the lead of the northern oueswho followed that of Mr. Bryan himself. They will not make that mistake again. Nor will there be any occasion to do so , since the North is' as completely cured of the currency madness as any other section. Mr. Bryan's response in the Commoner confirms everything that has been said by those who are opposed to him in na tional politics. The great body of democrats and independents who either voted against him last year , or refrained from voting at all , said that he was so fanatical on the money question that , although the Kansas City platform mode it subordinate to that of imperialism , he would , if elected , use the power of the presidential office to debase the cur rency , and that such action would plunge the business of the country into confusion , the end of which could nol bo foreseen. This was the opinion oJ men of calm judgment and independent thought , such as President Eliot , Wheeler H. Peckham , Charles Francis Adams , John G. Carlisle , Senator Caf- fery , Professor Laughlin , and many others , against whom could be imputed no leaning toward imperialism or Mo- Kinleyism in any form. That these men were right is proved now by Mr. Bryan's insistence that the Kansas City platform ought to have been endorsed by the Ohio convention because of the silver plank in it. "The money question , " he says , "is not yet out of politics. Every session of con gress will have to deal with it. Repub- icans declare that it is dead , but they ceep working at it. " Even more ex plicit was his private declaration to ongressmanLevy during the campaign of last year , which the latter introduced nto a public document , a few months igo , in the following words : "Mr. Levy . . . It has never been before stated , but the distinguished ; entlemau who ran for president of the United States last winter , when he was in Washington , told me that , if he was elected president of the United States , ie would find a way to pay in silver un der the present law. Now , we certainly ought to give the secretary of the treasury the power to issue bonds to protect that reserve. "Mr. Hill Do I understand that Mr. Bryan made that statement to you , Mr. Levy ? "Mr. Levy Yes , sir. "Mr. Coohran Why , certainly ; there is no question as to that. " This'colloquy took place in the house committee on coinage , weights , and measures on the 10th of January last. It is of some importance still as illustrat ing Mr. Bryan's fanatical adherence to the silver question as an issue in na tional politics , and explaining his loud protest against the action of the Ohio convention. That Mr. Bryan is out of the running as a candidate for the democratic nomi nation in 1904 is now quite certain. He may , however , bo the candidate of the populists , or of some offshoot of thai party. He may fall into the tracks oi Gen. Weaver , who was the candidate ol the greeubackers on so many different occasions. Mr. Bryan is essentially a a populist. The aim and purpose of that party from the beginning has been debasement of the currency by fresh is sues of greenbacks. To this end , silver was but a stepping stone. Mr. Bryan made a speech for the greenback delu sion while he was in congress , and there is little doubt that it was this , and not the "cross of gold and crown of thorns' speech at Chicago , that gave him the populist nomination in 1896. The popu lists of the Ocala platform will be more than ever attached to him if he leaves the'democratic party. That he should leave it , seems to be logically necessary if in 1904 it shall refuse to endorse the silver plank of the Kansas City plat form , as it seems now certain that i will. There will always be odds an < ends of parties sufficient to run a third ticket in any presidential campaign For such distinction Mr. Bryan is now well fitted. New York Evening Post. EMBARRASSMENT. One of THE CONSERVATIVE'S force re cently wrote to the Newberry library re questing reference to some work , if ihero wore any , which would throw ight on a certain point in one of John 0. Fremont's exploring expeditions ; and received by return mail a reply from the obliging librarian , giving the names of hirty-four books which ho recommend ed , and ending with reference to "gen- oral works on the subject. " There is such a thing as knowing too much. TREE GROWTH SPOILS CROP FAIL URES. If thirty-three feet of all the county roads in Nebraska could bo planted to f maple , elm and ash trees , it would in 25 years be an endowment for the state , beside which the public school fund would sink into permanent insignifi cance. Hot winds would no longer ter rorize the peaceful husbandman and make the family atmosphere such that the husband is a terror to the wife. Rains would come with regularity. I * Crops would be assured and the golden cornucopia would be upside down over the land from South Omaha to Lodge Pole ( which has not yet sent in its re turns ) . In the planting of trees over the treeless areas , and the preservation of the forests that have been left , are the only safe-guards for the agricultural interests of the country. Rainfall in Nebraska is sufficient every year , if it could be distributed throughout the * | season. Violent rainfall is characteristic of treeless countries. It is character istic of eastern states that were once heavily timbered , and where gentle % rains covered the entire summer season before the timber was destroyed. York Republican. POLITICAL. " The republican congressmen in Illi nois from outside of Chicago are said to bo organising against the candidacy of Charles G. Dawes for the United States senate. The reason given is that they do dot like Mr. Dawes because he has outweighed all the congressmen and the senators in his influence at Washington in connection with Illinois affairs , es pecially appointments. Gov. Nash , of Ohio , re-nominated by the republicans , and his democratic op ponent , James Kilbourno , both reside in Columbus , and have been cordial friends for thirty-six years. No personalities are expected in their campaign. It is told of Col. Kilbourue that he never had a strike in his implement factory and has never reduced wages. When the panic of 1898 came , it was feared that he might have to out down the pay of his men , and he went before them and asked if they would accept a reduction in case of necessity. They agreed , but 1 the necessity did not arise. iy \ iyJ
