The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-06
The Genuine Democratic Sentiment.

The enthusiasm with which the mention
Of the name OF BRYAN and tho celebration Of
the 9 to / issue by Governor HoGa ofTcxas
were received at the Fourth OF July Tam
many meeting expressed genuine feeling
which would have been provoked by tho
same cause in any assembage OF the Democ-
racy the Union over. or course only the
campaign cry and the name OF the leader
Of the Democracy in 1896 arouse such
sentiment. 1t Is tho fighting spirit OF the
Democratic party. and it was stirred to the
more boisterous utterance heard In Tam
many on Tuesday because OF the anxious
effort OF CROKER and his subordinate
leaders to stife 1t.
Tho campaign OF 1896 was fought more
flercely than any other in the history OF
the Democratic party, and it Is creditabe
to human nature that defeat only endears
leader the more to his followers when
misfortune has come to him and to them
after battle bravely contested by BOTH
Mr.. BRYAN brought out in 800 the greatest
number of votes ever cast for Democratic
candidate for President. 1t was greater by
million than the number received by
GROVER CLEVELAND four years before.
Mr.. BRYAN too, was moro actively in
the canvass than had been any previous
Democratic candidate. He canvassed the
Union personally throughout its length
and breadth, and the labor Of leader
| ship rested on his shoulders more than
| 1t had done on any other candidate for
| President in the whole history Of the party.
| He was both the author and the very en-
| hodment OF the issues raised in a cam
paign which gave to the Democratic party
n new character. Under CLEVELAND there
had been false prctencc and fiat betrayal Of
pledges Tho platform OF 500 denounced
protection as unconstitutional, rs "a fraud"
and as robbery" yet when the Cleveland
| Administration came in, a distinctively
protective tariff was prepared under its
auspices and passed by Democratic Con-
gress. OF course such n surrender OF a
positively declared principle exposed the
| party to derision and destroyed It's own
self-respcct. At Chicago BRYAN dragged the
Democracy out OF that miro with his new
| silver declaration and infused vitality into
its apparently moribund organization.
A few months before the Chicago conven-
ton the prevailing opinion in both parties
was that the election would go by default,
to the lowest business depression, and the
very name of Democracy had become hate
full to the people. Then BRYAN came for
ward, threw overheard Clevelandsm COM
pletely and revoutionized the Democratic
party by making 1t representative OF the
very spirit Of social discomfort which had
been created by it and the disastrous Adj
ministratlon of CLEVELAND. This change
OF front in the face OF the enemy was n bold
and in many respects mastery piece OF
political strategy. Desperate as 1t was
It. afforded the only hope for the dis
graced party. A campaign which it had
been expected a few months before would
he lifelcss was at once charged with the
most aggressive purpose, so that against il
the Republican party was compelled t.
make the most strenuous and most costly
contest in its history. 1t was terrible
fight and was watched with the most
anxious solctude for four months. Mr.
MCKINLEY was elected and the appalling
calamity Of free silver was prevented by {
, large majority OF the electoral votes and by
more than half million OF the popular
votes but the Democratic host marshalleC
for the fray was the greatest in the party
history.
Accordingly, it has been obvious eve
since the election OF 1896 that the contes
, then decided in favor of national honor anC
conservatism, against reputation and radi
; calism would be renewed in 1900 on sub
stantially the same issues. The Demo
cratic party was transformed at Chicago
, regenerated. Gays BRYAN-and 1t under
! went change which will never DO lost