the American people to govern themselves. It will destroy the last vestige of sectional prejudice. It will compel all world powers to acknowledge the stability, power and righteousness of the American republic. Had the election of 1896 resulted as the election of 1900 will result if patriotism and common sense are allowed to guide the actions of all voters, North and South, East or West, Bryanism would not have survived such a crushing defeat a single day. The Democratic party would now be united, and controlled by men of honor, ability and rare sagacity, worthy to be entrusted with power. The benefits that will accrue to the people if this election is made unanimous can be faintly depicted by contemplation of the benefits that would have accrued to the Democratic party, to all of the people of this country and of the world, had the election of 1896. been made unanimous. Such an example of the power of the people to exercise aright the responsibilities of self-government will give courage and inspiration to all who are capable masters of liberty throughout the world. But two years ago the southern states were afire with patriotism when the call to arms rang out from the capital of the nation. Loyal sons of the South welcomed war because it brought them opportunity to prove their patriotism, wear the uniform and defend the flag of a united country. To-day an oppor tunity is theirs to serve the welfare and integrity of the republic of far greater significance, pregnant with issues for the weal or woe of our country far more vital than any arising out of the war with Spain. This opportunity will test their honor and courage as no bugle call to battle can do. The stability of the republic, the hope of the advancing civilization of the world, rests upon the fundamental requirement that all citizens shall at all times vote according to the dictates of their conscience, the teachings of intelligence and the inspirations of an unselfish patriotism. Only those are great who are the equals of their opportunity. Opportunity to annihilate Bryanism is here. Will the people prove themselves great by being equal to this opportunity? "It is the hour of fate, And they who follow me reach every state COLLECTING POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS FROM PUBLIC EMPLOYES. No step toward imperialism can be more decisive than that of giving the party in power the power to collect political assessments from public employes. The most effective barrier against the usurpation of such power is found in protecting employes from arbitrary discharge. When employes are not so protected they are the helpless victims of any blackmail their superiors may choose to assess upon them. When back of every request is concealed the power of discharge, without notice or reason, the request is quite sure to be complied with. Public employes should have the right to vote and to support the candidates of their choice with contributions to campaign funds, but this action should be purely voluntary. Public offices should not be made the opportunity and place for political discussions and fund-raising hold-ups. In office employes are in the service of all the people. The people who have business with them should not have intruded upon their attention the campaign banners, posters or badges of any party. The public office should be neutral ground where public business is transacted. unaffected by the contentions of political parties. The wisdom of this warning has recently been exemplified in the experience of the public lighting commission of Detroit. This is a bi-partisan commission, composed of members of both parties. This fact has been depended upon to prevent the patronage of the service from being used as a political machine. A report reached one of the commissioners that a list was being circulated among the employes for the purpose of raising a contribution to the campaign fund of Mayor Maybury. The commissioners immediately made a personal investigation and found that Permit Clerk Frank T. Bowler was circulating such a subscription paper and had headed the list with his own subscription for $10. His name was followed by that of Superintendent Daily and City Electrician Hatch for $25 each. With this start the list was in shape to be presented to every employe. Mr. Bowler explained that the circulation of the paper was purely an enterprise of his own, prompted by his interest in Mayor Maybury's success. This is a case of the kind classed as "offensive partisanship" by President Cleveland, which gave him sufficient reason for discharging a large number of Republican employes. Their places were, of course, filled by Democratic employes. There is but one safe course. It is to brand all partisanship in public office as "offensive" and to prohibit it. BRYAN'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FEAT. OF DE Mr. Bryan is not a philosopher, nor has he the staying power of one well grounded in moral rectitude. This fact is demonstrated by the painful manner in which he will promptly abandon a pose of high dignity and go scurrying in the dust of pursuit when he thinks votes can only be had in that way. It is a matter of common knowledge in his home town that he constructed an expansion to his front porch, prior to the Kansas City convention, and announced he would remain at home during the campaign to receive delegations of visiting statesmen, as McKinley did in 1896. It is also well known that no delegations gave notice of an intention to visit him. This caused him to come down from that porch and start on a whirlwind speaking tour, as he did in 1896. His attempt to imitate a success was a failure. It has driven him to adopt a course that ended in a failure in 1896 and is destined to end in a failure in 1900. "For Rent, a Large Front Porch" is an effective Republican placard in Lincoln, Neb. Early in the campaign Bryan made an attempt to appeal to the higher order of intelligence. He could not survive under the criticism his platitudes provoked, and soon dropped to the more congenial atmosphere of a lower level. Becoming desperate as he saw his crafty schemes failing, he revealed his true character as an inciter of class hatred and discontent. This is |