The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-29
The Party of the Disconnected.

Tho withdrawal of n Philadelphia dele
| gate from the recent State Convention OF
| the Pennsylvania Democrats because he Oh
| jected to the platform reference to WILL
| LIAM ]. BRYAN as "our matchless leader"
| has caused no more than q ripple OF in
| tercst, for the reason that such manifesto
| tions of independence in the year preCed-
| ing the Democratic National Convention
| are clearly futile. The Democratic party in
| all the States where its voters predominant,
| or in which they are numerous enough to
hope for success next year, with the aid
OF some recruits, is irreclaimably COM
mitted to war on property, and,
| whether that assault takes the form OF
declaration against the standard OF
the measure OF wealth-the American dol
lar-as was the case in 1896, or as some
political trimmers are now proposing
against tho material evidences OF wealth,
"tho trusts" 1.-The corporations" 1.-The
banks" or 1.-THE railroad and insurance COM
panics" does not make any particular diff
ference. The purpose Of tho fight, the OBJ
icctive point OF the campaign, and the con-
stitucncy appealed to are the same. 1t Is n
war on the successful pursuit OF wealth
and it gets whatever inspiration 1t has
or can get from the needy the unsuccess-
full, the unscrupulous and those who believe
that prosperity is not necessarily the fruit
OF toll, but can be created by statute.
A majority OF the Democratic State Con-
ventions have declared affirmatively in
favor OF 10 to silver coinage and not ono
has declared positively against it. Last
year the Democratic Convention In the i'm
portunt Stat" OF Illinois, the Western battle
ground of the 1895 campaign, demanded a
tax on incomes and an amendment to the
Constitution OF the United States, "if neces-
sary to accomplish this purpose" The
Ohio Democratic State Convention also
favored an income tax Tho Democrats
of the conservative State of Massachu-
sets described tho United States Govern
mcnt as having become the financial
agent of the money jobbcrs OF Eu-
rope and America" and attacked the In
trrnal Revenue law at the same time,
declaring that 1t was VIGOROUSLY con-
structed SO that tho corporations might
evade their share in the burdens OF the ma
tion, thereby devolving the entire sacrifice
upon an already distressed people" Tho
Democrats Of Nebraska, Tennessee and
Missouri were no less outspoken for tho
income tax, while the Democrats OF South
Carolina demanded that 1.-THE national
banking system be abolished" and declared
that "the absorption Of wealth by few"
and consolidation Of our leading railroad
systems required u stricter control by the
Federal Government"
If any one should be curious enough to
examine Census Bulletin $50 OF 1890, he
would find that, of the ten States having the
| largest measure Of material wealth at that
| time. MCKINLEY and HOBART carried nine
| in the election Of 1896, and BRYAN and
| SEwALL one only. IT, on the other hand,
| from the same table the ten States having
| the smallest assessed valuation OF real and
personal propertyshould be taken, it would
| be found that BRYAN carried nine OF them
| and MCKINLEY one only. Another illustra-
| ton OF this dependency Of the Democratic
| party on the envy and discomfort Of so
| cicty is that generally since 1896 favor
| able business and agricultural returns have
been helpful to the Republicans. and tho
! Democrats have relied wholly upon ap-
peals to local discomfort. The Chicago plat
| form of / 500 attracted to the Democratic
| ranks all the agitators, theorists social pes
slmists, dreamers and revolutionists in the
field Of politics. For many years before
| they had masqueraded under various names
and under sundry titles. Some had been
Labor men, some Populists. some Social
| lists, some Industrial Reformers, some mere
political professors but they were glad
| enough to take possession OF the front
seats which had been reserved for them
| in the Democratic synagogue
The Philadelphia delegate to the Penn
sylvania convention who objected to its
Platforms celebration Of Mr.. BRYAN's lead
ership was manlfestly out Of place and his
withdrawal was proper and consistent.
Only those who arc ready to join in the
Bryanite assault on social success waged
by the forces Of social discomfort belong in
the Democratic party OF this time.