Page:Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz, Volume 6.djvu/290

266  &emsp; Bryan's fine Indianapolis speech would, perhaps, have given him a chance if he had rested his case upon it and then retired into dignified silence. When he again launched out in his campaign of small talks, all hope was gone. I could notice in my own surroundings that almost every one of his speeches lost him votes. During the last two weeks before the election all the voters that were still in doubt went to McKinley with a rush. Here in New York there was a sort of hysterical frenzy. I suppose the same condition of atmosphere existed in other places. You have no idea what pressure was brought upon me even by our personal friends who “could not understand it” that under the circumstances I would not “come out for McKinley before it was too late.” Of course we shall not give up the fight. But it seems to me that just now those anti-imperialists who voted for McKinley under protest have the floor. Some of them talk of making a public demonstration of their dissatisfaction with the imperialistic policy of the President by signing a paper to that effect. Movements of this kind should be encouraged as much as possible.

I hear from Edwin Burritt Smith that the Anti-Imperialistic Executive Committee will call a confidential conference of the leaders to meet some time in December in this city. I hope you will be present. 



The many signs of popular approval, if not of genuine popularity, which have accompanied Mr. McKinley's