The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-07-11
THE END OF THE DEMOCRACY,

THE END OF THE DEMOCRACY.
With entire calmness and candor, and
with perfect freedom from all tinge Of
partisan bias or buster, it may be
stated as a fair criticism OF the out
come Of the Chicago convention, that
the nomination OF ". ]. Bryan. as
alleged Democratic candidate FOR presi-
dent. is a fresh demonstration OF that
party's capacity for monumental blum
dering in the face OF the opportunities
which have occasionally come to 1t.
accidentally or otherwise.
That this tendency has become a
marked characteristics Of the party in
recent years, is SO abundantly sttested
by the admissions and recriminaions
now going on among its leaders as well
as the comments OF its own newspa-
pers. it would be a waste OF time 10
here undertake 10 cite Illustrations
or recall any particular past instances.
But the reason for this discreditsble
and contemplate plight OF an organi-
zation bearing the name and pretend
ing TO pose as the modern prototype Of
the old and respected party OF JEFF
ferson and jackson is not hard 10 find.
Ever since the dismemberment Of the
old Democratic party on the rock Of
slavery In 1860. the pseudo Democratic
party has existed without fixed princi-
pies or policy whatever. Its perpetua-
tion being simply the result Of blind
and fierce opposition at all times TO all
things which sayored Of the stronger
and dominating Republican party.
Upon every public question that has
arisen since the war, II has been the de-
Hberately contrived and successful ma
neuver OF its prejudiced or office-seek-
ing leaders, 10 avoid any declaration
until the announcement Of the Repub-
Hcan position, and then no matter what
the merits OF the question, or how un-
patriotic or inconsistent with its for
mer announcements or pledges. it has
invariably taken the opposing side.
Owing to dissensions among Repub-
Tcans. and during the causeless periods
Of political lunacy which have prevail
ed among the people. this so-called
Democracy has temporarily attained
control Of first one and then another.
and finally at one time Of all branches
Of the government. and yet to its utter
shame and confusion there isn't to be
found on the statute books OF the Unit
ed States today one single piece Of
legislation placed there since the war
by the votes of a Democratic major
ity, or which originated with a mem
Der Of that party. 1t has lived only as
4 party OF negation and malicious op-
position.
Thus the Democratic organization
has been the nucleus around which
gathered from time TO time for a more
or less brief period, the supporters Of
every political fallacy or heresy orig
mated in this country since the war.
1t has in turn offered itself as a political
prostitute to the embraces Of every
theorist or faddist who was hunting
for means Of propagating new doc
trines or trying to destroy old ones.
1t is no wonder, therefore, that it found
itself at Chicago this year completely
under control Of a bob-tailed and rag
tag element, unsusceptible Of organiza-
tion into a deliberative body. and abso-
utely uncomfortable in the frenzies
and passions evoked by the presence Of
such fellows as Tillman, Altgeld and
Bryan, or conjured up by their rant
ings and rawlings on its platform. The
few decent men in the convention have
sat during the whole Of its session ut
terIy appalled, and powerless to pre-
vent this rape OF the name Democracy
by rank and ignorant Populists, and
their final mad rush 10 destruction in
the nomination Of Bryan.
1t is reasonable to assume that Mr.
Bryan went down to the convention
without the remotest hope or expecta-
tion Of becoming its nominee He has
been Republican, d Democrat, and in
turn a Populist, just as he thought he
saw an opportunity to turn an honest
penny or advance the ambition Of Bry-
an. There wasn't q delegate to the
convention who had ever thought Of
Bryan as a candidate for president
even the representatives Of his own
state who usurped the place Of the regu-
larIy elected delegates having been in
structed for one Of the standing can
didates. This, too, Notwithstanding
that his radical speeches in congress
and the fulminations of his newspaper
for absolute free trade and free sill
yer have long ago made him a char
acter Of national notoriety. He goes
on the stage to make a speech 10 the
bowling dervishes Of the convention,
which he thinks may help him in his
next campaign for congress or the SEN
zte in Nebraska, and Immediately the
whole mob, forgetting favorite sons,
and the solemn instructions of home
conventions, tramples over the carcass
of poor old homespun Bland, and
thrusts aside the pivotal political in
huence Of Prohibition Boies, to go over
in one mad stampede to the unraised
standard of the boy Orator of the
Platte"
Could there be any better illustration