The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-17
The Ethic. Of noItinE.

Mr.. Bryan. IN his speech a. Centralia.
H.. on Tuesday. touched upon the eth
les Of boiling. Probably he deemed it nee
essary TO do so. II IS well authenticated
that he contemplated boiling the
Chicago convention. in the event o. the
failure OF the convention 10 declare Tor
free silver al the Is 20 / ratio.
on June Il. 1895. at Jackson. Miss. NJ.
Bryan was asked the direct question by
Judge Braeme: "wiH you support the ac-
ton Of the democratic national convention
II II should fail to put free silver at Is 10
! in the PLATFORM His reply was: $50
help me God. / will die ia my tracks be-
fore I viii support itr' That could mean
nothing except a purpose 10 bolt.
Probably Mr. Bryan desired TO justify
himself before the people for the Jackson
expression. and therefore said at Contra
liza:
! trust the issues involved IN this cam
paiRn viii be clearly understood and care
fully studied. Parties are not made 10
be W0rshiped, they are merely the instru-
ments by which we serve our country.
People are not made of parties, but par
ties are made Of the people, and parties
can only claim the support OF the people
when these parties are efficient instru-
ments in the hands OF the people for ac-
complish hing good. And those who are
called upon 90 vote have the right to con
slider the platform utterances and ne
policies advocated by the various parties
as well as the candidates who are nomi-
mated.
Both OF these declarations are somewhat;
queer. coming from the head OF a ticket
whose chief supporters are urging the
necessity for party fealty upon sound
money democrats. The style Of argument
that Mr.. Bryan's most enthusiastic adj
vocates are using TO keep sound money
men In line is illustrated in this expression
from the Atlanta Constitution:
But no man can say that he is a dem
Ocrat and at the same time refuse 10
support the democratic candidates. That
is the sort Of treache.y that smacks OF
assassination.
This is rather rough on the presidential
candidate. His bitterest enemy could
have said nothing more scathing. Still
1t is in line with what used TO be consid-
cred good democratic party policy. Here
tofore the doctrine has been that the par
~ must be supported at all hazards
Whatever differences may have existed,
and whatever fights may have been made
within the party. prior to the convention.
were considered to be at an end when
the convention had formulated and pro-
mulgated its platform of principles ana
named its candidates, All good democrats
were expected to acquiesce in the conclu-
sions Of the majority and to vote the
ticket.
Mr.. Bryan, It seems. takes a different
view of the matter. According to his ex-
pressions. party obligations should sit
called upon to vote have the right to con-
slider the platform utterances and the poll
icies advocated by the various parties, as
well as the candidates who are nominaJ-
ed" says Mr., Bryan. If the voters are
not pleased with the policies and candi-
dates, they have right to bolt, according
to that doctrine. One is bound to con-
clude that IS what Mr.. Bryan means. No
other conclusion is possible.
1t seems to us that it would be advisa-
BILE for Mr.. Bryan to cease making speech
es until he has been notified officially or
his nomination, and has had a conference
or two with his managers Of the campaign.
Unless he adopts that course. he is likely
to make a good many mlstakes-mistakes
that he will find it troublesome to correct.