Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-04-20
THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1899.

JOuGb vi iiC = cip"bS hSSS''
crat thus thoughtfully considers the
letter written by w. j. Bryan to The
Milwaukee Journal upon the eve OF
The Jeffersonian banquet:
"Mr. Bryan has written long let
ter to The Milwaukee Journal In
which he says, only those who are
willing to stand on the last platform
ought TO have q part in the writing OF
the next. In our opinion that would
be very narrow guage for the ma
tional democracy to travel on. Why
should the democratic party, q party
that has outlived all other parties,
because OF the fxedness OF It's opin-
ions, be bound to a platform which
rent the party In twain, and has
caused more dissension within its
ranks than all other platforms ever
adopted by the party In national con-
vention? Why should that platform
be set up as a test Of democracy
idol to be worshiped? In 1864 the
democratic party adopted platform
which many democrats repudiated.
Gen. Mcclellan, the candidate OF the
party, when he found that the conven-
lion had made mistake repudiated 1t
himself. Thousands OF democrats
who did not believe In the dcclara-
tions OF that platform voted for Mr..
Mcclellan because he was the NOM
inee of the party, and because they
knew him to be u democrat and they
were democrats but thousands more
voted for Lincoln Just 30 those
thousands did In 1896 with Mr.. Bryan.
But did Mr.. Mcclellan, who was just
ms great ~ Mr.. Bryan, shout himself
hoarse for four years succeeding,
maintaining that the decree OF the
national convention of 1864 should be
the eternal test OF democracy, and
that none who disagreed with 1t
should have u part In writing the
platform Of 1868? No. The leaders
of the party then were apparently
wiser than some OF the leaders OF to-
day. All democrats were then invited
to join In the deliberations OF the
party. Mr.. Bryan would bar such
democrats M David B. Hill, Horace
Boies, VIM. II. Villas, Richard Olney,
John G. Carlisle and others who
have been life long leaders rs well
ny tho thousands who w democrats
voted for him In 1896 regardless OF
the rs to provision which Ia the dis
puted territory of the last platform.
Mr.. Bryan will learn that with the
country overlooking with money and
obtainable ut the lowest rate OF inter-
est ever known. the democratic party
will never consent to repudiate It's
wise leaders and principles ut the de-
cree of those who still continue to
advocate theories condemned and dis
carded. With all regard for Mr..
Bryan's ability and honesty of pur-
pose, we, for one, dissent from his
decree of Chicago platform or not II
Democrat, and maintain that all dem
ocrats should unite In making the
platform of 1900
As The Iowa County Democrat nm
dcrstands the situation, Gold Demo
Gratis have no rights In the premises
which the regular party Democrats
are bound to respect. Those who re-
fused to support tho platform and
ticket In 1906 acted with the full con-
sequences of such action before their
eyes; and now know full well that they
are taken and accepted, the country
over, NJ political orphans, without
any party standing. OF course, when
they once enter the caucuses they
may, like Phineas Fletcher, forget to
play the part of Quaker noncomatants,
aud take part In the scrap when the
contest warns up In earnest.
1t Is not so important, however,
who shall write the Democratic plat
form OF 1900 as that it shall be we'll
written and shall contain sound dom
ocratic declarations, which will MS
semble the hosts, and not dispersc
them w did the platform OF 1896, 1t
should be such as will rally to the
support of constitutional democracy
old men and middle aged men who
have made the party strong IN the
past, aud patriotic and intelligent
Young men who will make 1t strong
in tho future.