New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-16
THE OBLIGATION OF REGULARITY.

The antics Of some politicians who are per-
suading themselves that 1t is their duty to sup
port Bryan, though they neither approve OF
him nor the platform on which he stands, be-
cause he was nominated in the name or the
Democratic party, excites some goodnatured
ridicule and some pity for mems slavery TO the
bugaboo Of regularity. Yet that disposition Is
not to be wondered at for 1t Is the mistaken
manifestation Of a good impulse. The senti-
ment Of loyalty Is one which must always DE
highly priced. But, unfortunately, the human
mind ever tends to confuse names and the
things names represent. That Is true OF all
organized institutions. The man who joins IA
church or a club or party finds himself Douhd
by ties which hold him in 1t long after it has
ceased to mean that which drew him to it, He
remains Methodist, though Mehodsm may
no longer be his creed, and Democrat though
Democracy may have principles entirely difer-
cnt from his own. He extends to an organlZa-
ton something Of the feeling that he might
have for an errng member Of his family or
whom he disapprOvcs, but whom he cannot
disown 1t is one phase of the TOO great rcver-
ence Of men for social machinery and their IN
stitutons. about which Matthew Arnold sound
ed a warning 1t is IN amabe human trait,
but one which involves grave dangers.
1t will naturally not be easy for an oldllne
Democrat in this campaign to reverse the habit
of wears And the more he felt drawn To what
he believed were the partys old principles, and
thought of it as an institution which embodied
ideas which he wished to promote, the more
the organization means to him and the harder
will he find parting company with II. Yet II
the olci-timc Democrat will look ut the thing
and not at the name he will find no reason for
supDOrting the men who now misuse his party.
The rule of chancery that he who invokes equity
must do equity applies to political party. NO
man may swing the party lash and whip into
line reluctant voters who Is himself not amen
able 10 discipline When Mr.. Bryan before the
Chicago Convention declared, There Is moth
ling In Heaven above, or on EARTH or in Ecl
"beneath which would make me support a
candidate Of the Democratic party who would
stand on a gold PLATFORM" he forfeited all
right TO ask men to vote for him simply be-
cause they belonged to the Democratic party
He went to the Convention threatening bolt
He was not a partisan Democrat, but free
lance making an attack on the Democratic
camp His victory a conquest. 1t was
won by unseating the delegates representing
the majority Of Nebraska Democrats and driv-
Ing out the properly accredited delegates from
Michigan. Coming there as an outsider. aided
by friends Within he forced his way through
the Convention lines, and now asks his captiyes
TO fight under him for the sake Of party loyalty.
Under such circumstances names can mean
nothing to them. They cannot be expected to
march with an enemy just because he has come
into their camp and stolen their banner. The
only thing for them TO do Is to look around and
see what people are fighting about, and see
what band of warriors best represents their
principles. regardless Of uniforms and flags.
The Bryan party has declared for free silver.
for limiting the right to make private con
| tract for forbidding the Federal Government
| to maintain order and protect property In case
| State authorities are unable or unwilling to
| do so. for the establishment Of an income tax.
| and for destroying the independence of the SUI
| preme Court If these are true Democratic doe
| .rnes. then the loyal Democrat may perhaps
| forgive the way n twOthirds vote in his Con-
! ycption was stolen to nominate Il man who
| had threatened to bolt II he did not win. But
| unless they are true Democratic doctrines. the
| men who are running on that platform have
| no right to expect Democratic support.
i