New-York tribune., 1896-11-30
WHO ARE THE BESERTLRNi

Democracy before the next Presidential election
is not only possbe-in spite Of the bitterness
engcndercd by the late campagn-bnt may
he accounted az among the strongest or po-
tical probabilities. II Is party that does not
stay long divided. II long ago described
as an organization held together by the rolr-
sive power of public plunder. and the descrll'-
tion holds good to-day. BY the time the next
Presidential election comes round hunger. II
nothing else. will have driven them together.
Not all Of them: for the experience or IN" party
during the war and in the years Immediately
succeeding. when thousands Of patriotic Demo
Gratis left it for good and ALL never to return. IS
most likely to be repeated. Whenever the To-
union takes place IL will be found that tens or
thousands of honest Democrats voted for Me-
Knley not merely as a protest against the can
ddate and platform Of the Chicago Convention,
but because they We're tired OF the party. dis
gustcd with It's false professions and imberile
leadership. and ashamed OF their association
with it. They did not stop at the halfway
house of the Sound Money Democracy. but en-
phasized THAR refusal TO be bound by the action
of the Chicago Convention by voting openly and
squarcly TIE whole Republican ticket. These
voters have left the Democratic party for good
and come over to the Republicans. as so many
war Democrats did after 1861. 10 stay. They
care little whether they are called descrters or
not.
! But when ;hc two wings of the old party begin
10 negotia., fos terms Of reunion the first ques-
ton to arise and Il most interesting one it will
be will be which wing comes under the head
of desertcrs. MI Bryan. who. a. the last reg'i-
lar Presidential candidate Of the party. may be
properly considered It's tilular head. has cX-
| pressed his views on this subject during The
campaign and since in the most nnmisakahe
terms. He made public proclamation. in fact.
| Immediately after the Indianapolis Convention
| of Sound Money Democrats that any Demo
| crat who favored that movement or supported
| its candidates would he counted as a dcserter
| from the party ranks: moreover, that he must
| take his baggage with him. for he would not
| be permitted to come back into full communion
or regular standing in the party. He was backed
| up in this by Chairman Jones. of the National
| Committee. and by such eminent Democratic
| leaders as Altged. Timan. Stone. Of Missouri:
| the late Mr.. 81. John Of This city. and others.
| That the Bryarites in control of the regular or
| ganizatiOn propose TO enforce the order against
| descr%rrS is made evident already by their ac-
| ton the other day in New Haven. Conn. where
| they are TO have municipal election next
month Advances toward a union Of the TWO
wings of the party having been made by the
| Sound Money Democrats the latter were given
| to understand that it could not be thought Of
until they had shown some signs of pcnitcn,r by
| recognizing the regularity Of the Bryante ma
chine of which Mr.. Alexander Troup is chairman.
| They treated as descrtcrS.
! This is in pursuance Of the policy of Mr. Bryan.
the present tltular head of the party. But now
|
lar head. with an entirely different view of the
| question: Who the desertcrs? In recent con
versaton ne is reported to have expressed posi-
| tive conviction that The Democratic party Of the
future would not be "coniroed by the men
''whO committed the Chicago Convention to It's
radical and revolutionary declarations and
forced the nomination Of Bryan for the Ircsi-
''dency" He believes iha, "ihe men who rc
fused to allow their Democracy to be betrayed
''by the Chicago Convention" will form the
nucleus Of the Democratic party of the future
He is more tolerant and charitable. however.
toward those whom he considers descrtcrs from
the ancient faith than Bryan and his associates
| are toward those whom they charged with de-
| serting the regular organization and its candi-
! dates He says they were governed by mis-
taken sense of party fealty. and that every en-
| c0uragement should In given 10 them 10 return
| to the traditional doctrines Of their party: that
"sound-money leaders should in all they do or
! SAY be careful not TO make their return more
difficult" But while he hopes that the mass
Of those who voted for Bryan will. as he cX
presses il. "rcturn to their allegiance" he has
10 desire for the return of the extremists who
were determined to rule or ruin the party. He
believes that The sooner they leave the or
"ganzation and find their permanent home in
''the Populist camp the better it will be for all
| concerned.
So each wing charges the other with deSer
ton-oir with deserving tnr regular Organiza-
iion the other with deserving the ancient faith
Each calls to the other return to It's ale
glance. though one. smariing under dsappoint
mcnt and defeat. insists upon works meet for
repentance. while the other. with more chari,a-
bic disposition. imposes no conditions. but offers
amnesty and a generous welcome to the prod-
gals But the important question after all is
who really are the dcserters-those who left the
party or those who abandoned the faith II is
an important question and one not easily SET
tied. Meantime there's comfortable home in
the Republican party for those who think there's
n good deal of truth in what each of these fac
tions says of the other and are thoroughly tired
/ OF both