Life — December 23, 1915 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

[LOTR E * Harold and His Pa i PAF. what is the matter with Mr. Bryan?” Harold’s father laid down his sport- ing section and looked severely at the carnest face of his son. “My boy,” he said, “I am willing to help you in your studies by giving you the benefit of my experience and to stimulate in every way your ambi- tion to know the history of your coun- try, but there’s one subject I cannot discuss—I can’t control myself.” Harold's youthful form shook with glee. “T saw two men get into an awful fight about Mr. Bryan yesterda he said, “and I know what you mean, and that’s why I asked. You see, our cur- rent-events teacher wouldn’t tell be- cause she said we must be neutral in all things, and these two men, I guess they didn’t care.” Harold's father, in spite of himself, was becoming interested—especially at the mention of a fight. “What did “Didn't they agree? “Agree! Well, I should say not. One man said that Mr. Bryan was a force for good and a man of peace, and the other man laughed scornfully, just the way mother does at you, and he said Bryan was the limit, and he was a four- flusher—whatever that is—and a trai- tor to his country and no decent people could stand for him, and then the other man said, ‘ You don’t know what you are talking about. He is the only man to save us from the grafters, and he put Wilson in, and he stands for righteousness,’ and before I knew it there was a regular scrap on and it was great.” Harold’s father’s face flushed. “T wish I'd been there!” he claimed. “Of course that man was right. I hope he did the other man up.” “Which man was right, father?” “Why, the man who said Bryan was no good.” “Oh, that’s what you think, do you, father? I wish you would tell me why, and I promise not to get mad, because you know I'm only a boy and I really want to know.” they do?” he said. Harold's father’s voice actually trembled with agitation as he replied: “My son, I'll try to control myself, because for the good of our beloved country I think all our future citizens should be set right about men like Bryan.” His voice trembled some more. “Listen carefully he continued. “Mr, Bryan is a man who has been running for president ever since you were born.” “Yes, father, my teacher said that much, but is there anything wrong about that? I am awfully anxious to run for president, and mama often says I'm a good boy! “No, Harold, it is all right to run for president, but not the way Mr. Bryan does. He started out by ad- vocating free silver.” "Oh, papa, wouldn't that be great! Think of what I could buy if all the silver was free. arold’s her made an effort to control himself “Our gold standard,” he said dra- matically, “is the fundamental b of our government. But more than that, Mr. Bryan forced the President to make him Secretary of State, and then at a critical moment resigned his job when the country needed him, just because he wanted to be presi- dent.” “But, papa, if the country needed him, why shouldn't he be president?” Harold’s father got up. His face flushed some more. “Look here!” he exclaimed. “I'm trying to show you that Mr. Bryan is the biggest blatherskite we ever had to contend with He would just love to have us invaded by a foreign en- emy!" “But, papa, what I don’t understand is, why, if he is all that, anybody cares? If he is no good why do people get so mad about him? It’s awful funny to me why—” His father grabbed him by the collar. “Come, now!" he roared. “ That will do from you. Go out and play! And if you value your young life, never mention that man’s name to me again!” THE PARROT GETS THE TRUE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT Unjust Confiscation M® J. PILLOWPHOOT GRAB- BER, the well-known philan- i id president of the National Association, appeared yesterday before the Federal Commis- sion of Burglarious Relations. He said in substance: “T can not too strongly express my disapproval of certain incendiary utter- ances which have recently come to my notice. I refer to the suggestion that where burglars or others are found to have embezzled land or property from the public or from private persons, they should be required to give this property back to its original owners. Do you know what this means? It means an unwarranted interference with private property and individual initiative. It is, in fact, nothing short of confiscation? I have no objection to a reasonable amount of regulation. On the contrary, I believe that regu- lation of the proper kind is a good thing. But, of course, I do not believe in confiscation. Much of this property has found its way into the hands of pawnbrokers and other innocent pur- chasers. To disturb it now would be wholly unjust and unrighteous and a dangerous subversal of our best na-