Arizona republican., 1899-04-01
HIS LACK OF TACT
Bryan Showed if in WrifinQ
 10 Belmont.
Must Be More CoDCiIiaforY to Inc Opponents of Free Silver in 1896 if He Would Hope 10 Win in 1900.


 versy between MT. Bryan and MT. Bel mont has not ceased to interest many democrats. A number of goli demo- crats who did not bolt the Chicago convention, but who remained ;n the party and voted for MT. Bryan, are discussing what they regard as quite a serious mistake on the part of the Nebraska leader. These men are quite ready to say that the gold democrats who voted for Palmer and Buckner, forming themselves into another party have no just complaint when they find the doors of the next democratic con- yention barred against them, but they question the political wisdom of MT Bryan and other leaders in being un- necessarily severe on them when they show a determination to come back iE the democratic fold.
 It is suggested that political battles are not like military contests, in which an army of 10000 men may rout force double that number. Every vote counts, and these democrats say that if the democratic party is to have any chance of winning in the next cleo tion they must do everything to con- ciliate factions in their party and to get votes when the time for a national election comes around again. This, they say, is what they fear MT. Bryan appears to have lost sight of. These men believe that many democrats who bGited the ticket at the last election and marched out of their party are finding themselves in a very uncom fortable position. They believe that if they again get back in their party they will not be so ready to go off to form another party, and the opin- ion is expressed that, although they do not believe in MT. Bryan's views on the financial question, they would vote for him should they be allowed to go into convention, make their fight, and finally see him again the presidential candidate of their party.
 This does not mean that they are weakening in their views on free sil- vsr. It may mean that they are fully satisfied that should MT. Bryan be elected to the presidency through the influence of this faction in the party, he will be unable to promote the cause of free silver, because the senate is so organized that at least for eight years there can be no silver legislation. With this handicap on MT. Bryan they are willing to allow any prestige for free silver that may come to him through success they would help him to attain They would, of course. be likely to op- pose him very bitterly if events should develop which would make it appear that conditions were drifting toward legislation fer fires silver
 This class of democrats say Lnat Mr. Bryan if he is to be a successful lead CT, should conciliate all factions of the democratic party and bring about a condition under which the maximum number of democratic votes would be cast at the nsXt election. He should not, they say, desire to keep men out of the democratic party because they do not agree with him, and he should net expect th5m to enter a renunciation of their former views or to go into sack cloth and ashes for past acts which they believed to be right. If he would show enough diplomacy, they say, to make way by which the bolIins dem- Ocrats could get back into the demo- cratic party, he would be met half way. His voting power, they say, would be extended, and he would iun no risk of losing p2wer in his party as they realize that today frse silver is stronger in that party, if made to in cIude themselves, than is the gold standard.
 They could not hope to dictate the platform and would be obIige1 to see a platform adopted which in many re- spects would be distasteful to them. But they would hesitate a long time before leaving the party again.
 It is likely that within a few months MT Bryan and other democratic lead CTS will be approached by men enter taining these views and they will be asked to assume an attitude which will promote the interests of democracy and strengthen the party.