The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-11

1t begins to be apparent even to Mug
wumps and National Democrats that there
Is no possibility OF r~escuing the Demo.
cratic party from the absolute domination
OF Organism before the campaign of 1900
is decided. In nearly every State the con.
ventions of the Democratic party have de.
clared unrescryedly their continued adhc.
sion to the Chicago platform, and in none,
even in Maryland, where an attempt was
made to dodge It, greatly to the disgust OF
the mass of the Democracy, has 1t been
rejected.
Nothing in the political future is moro
definitely settled than that the Democratic
party will go into the campaign Of 1900
with substantially the same Issues as those
which brought 1t to defeat in 1896. Bry.
nnism, in all the intermediate State and
local elections, will follow the course 1t Is
pursuing this year Of attempting to gain
Everywhere positions and hold lines of ad.
vantage with reference to the control Of the
Democratic campaign in 1900.
Up to this time that obvious necessity OF
self-preservation has been overlooked by
the National Democrats and Mugwumps,
because 1t ran counter to their plans, but
they cannot shut their eyes to it any longer.
In the autumn of 1895 there may have been
reason for doubt as to the outcome for the
silver Democrats in the Chicago Conven.
ton. The Cleveland Democrats felt conf.
dent of winning, though the basis on which
they rested their hopes was undiscoverable
This confidence they kept up until the fol-
lowing spring, so that when it was demon
strated that the silverites had swept the
. convention, they were taken utterly by sur.
prise. They were tossed aside as of no &C.
count, and the silverites went ahead and
made u platform and nominated candidates
without the slightest reference to them.
Practically the Cleveland Democrats were
kicked out of the party.
The situation is the same now, except
that the illusions of last year have been dis.
PEELED in the minds Of all Democrats of dis
cernment. That the Bryan Democracy has
absolute control of the Democratic party is
now demonstrated absolutely. The ma
tional" Democrats are outside of the
trenches and will be kept out; they will
not be recognized as Democrats except
they come in unreservedly to the Bryanite
camp. Mr.. BRYAN is reported to nave con.
sented to Tammany's conducting it's cam.
paign here in New York without particu.
lar reference to the Chicago platform, but
only on the condition that its fruits shall
be used for his benefit in 1900. The regu-
lar Democratic party of thisS State and this
city is as squarely Bryanite as that of Vir-
ginia, and it is still doubtful about making
any concession, as a matter of temporary
exnediency, with a view to getting gold
Democrats to assist it in carrying out its
Bryanite plans.
The political situation is unchanged from
that of last yearand there is no prospect that
it will be changed before the next ma
tional election. All voters, therefore, will
have to take their positions accordingly.
II they are on the side of Organism they
are with the Democratic party, but If they
are against Organism there is no alterna-
tive for them except to continue to act with
the Republican party. They cannot alter
facts by wishing that they were otherwise.