Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1900 — COLONEL MORTON, DEMOCRAT, IS AFRAID OF BRYAN [ARTICLE]

COLONEL MORTON, DEMOCRAT, IS AFRAID OF BRYAN

Colonel Morton of Fargo, S. D., an old-time Democrat, is out against Bryan. He was once on General Sherman’s staff during the civil war and a few years ago was chairman of the Democratic State Committee of Minnesota. He Is now one of the leading farmers of South Dakota. He says: “I note that the Democratic press throughout the country is claiming the many Democrats who voted against Bryan in-1896 are lined up for the free-silver advocate now. I don’t know how it may be elsewhere, byt It is not true in this section. I have been a Democrat all my life, but the free-silver heresy drove me—as it did thousands of other life-long Democrats —to the support of McKinley. The farmers of the West cannot afford to have a change in our financial conditions, and with the election of Bryan and a Democratic Congress—of course I mean both houses of Congress being Democratic —a change would be inevitable. That it would be suicidal for our people of the Northwest to hazard even a remote chance of a change Is evidenced by the fact that to-day our farmers can' borrow on their rich acres from 40 to 50 per

cent of their value, at from 6 to 6 per cent interest. Four years ago the prevailing rate was 8 and 9 per cent, and loans were much more frequently made at the latter rate than the former. Mr. Bryan is a young man of ability, a young man of promise; and while I respect his powers of oratory, I should not care to be a member of a firm in which he managed the finances. I don’t believe that Mr. Bryan will be elected. I should regard his election as a great calamity. “So far as imperialism is concerned. I don’t think that many of us are worried over the situation in that regard. I wonder whether these anti-imperialists believe that we should have allowed Spain to have sunk the Texas after sinking the Maine—destroying three or four hundred more of our Bail ora—before declaring war. I have a supreme contempt for the fellow that thinks more of his dollars than of the national honor, or fears that his cowardly carcass might come In contact with foreign lead in case that he should be drafted and sent to the Philippines."