Omaha daily bee., 1899-08-23
TIE DESCENDANT DEMOCRACY.

THE DESCENDANT DEMOCRACY.
There are eastern democrats who are
hopeful that the party can be reunited
these is Ex-Governor Pattison of Penn
sylvania, who has been talked of as n
presidential possibility. In a recent
interview Mr.. Pattison expressed the
opinion that when the democratic
managers get down to business they
will take conservative action. Issues
which have been gone over and settled
in one campaign and have not been
strengthened since by events moi by con-
ditlons are not likely to be fought over
again. We can expect to win only on
new issues" This fairly expresses the
feeling or the hope of eastern sound
money democrats. They would eliminate
silver as an issue in the next national
campaign and abandon some of the more
revolutionary doctrines of the Chicago
platform. They are working now in n
d~isorganized and desultory way, with
this end in view.
There is not the least probability that
their efforts will amount to anything.
The element which will control the ma
tional convention of 1900 will permit the
abandonment of no part of the Chicago
platform and least of all will they allow
the silver issue to be ignored or made
secondary to any other question. Mr..
Bryan has declared that "as to subordin-
ating the silver question to other issues
in the campaign, that would be an i'm
possibility" and there is now every indi-
cation that Mr.. Bryan and his %steadfast
adherents will dominate and determine
the action of next years national con-
vention. They will insist upon reaffirm-
ing the Chicago platform and as now ap-
pears assured they will be strong enough
to exclude from the convention, if neces-
| sary, all who do not agree with them.
The Philadelphia Record thinks that
"when the next democratic convention
shall make it's platform the sober second
thought of the party may find EXPIRES
sion" 1t remarks that the party has had
the salutary experience of defeat; sit
has had time to think II the course of
events for the past three years has been
extremely educative." But a sounder
view, revived from the existing situa-
| ton, is that of the New York Times. 1t
says: "The multitude of devils that en-
tered into the democratic party three
years ago have not been driven out.
| rNI>, ..n @1,n Inp,i,,nttnr crfr.it nf tho
organization, and throughout the greater
part of the union, of the rank and file.
We cannot expect that any political
miracle will expel them within the few
months that now remain before the dele.
gates will be chosen. They must be
crushed out so by repeated disaster,
burned out by the fires of defeat,
drowned out by immersion in the upper
waters of Salt river, choked out by
abundant donations Of rope"
Free silver is still the issue that holds
together the Bryan democracy and it will
undoubtedly continue to be until the
party is again defeated on it. 1t is es'
sential to the success of Mr.. Bryan's
candidacy. His political fortunes are
involved in it. Antitrust and anti:in-
perialist declarations are purely fol
~vote-getting; the cardinal principle OF
the party is free silver and to subordin
ate this, as Mr.. Bryan has said, would
be an impossibility. Therefore the
efforts of eastern sound money demo
Gratis to reunite the party in new issues
and under a new leadership will fail
The hope entertained by such democrat:
as Ex-Governor Pattison will be disap
DOinted.