Evening star., 1899-03-23
Mr.. BRYAN CRITICISED
Democrats Say he Should Adopt CoDcilia-
tory Policy
Think He should Try to Bring Fac
tiOns Together Instead of Separate
ing Them More Widely.

The controversy between Mr.. Bryan and
Mr.. Belmont has not ceased to interest
many democrats number OF gold demo-
Gratis who did not bolt the Chicago conven-
tion but who remained in the party and
voted for Mr.. 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 gold dem
ocrats who voted fer Palmer and Buckner,
forming themselves into another party, have
no just complaint when they find the doors
of the next democratic convention barred
against them but they question the political
wisdom of Mr.. Bryan and other leaders in
being unnecessarily severe on them when
they show determination to come back
in the democratic fold.
Need for Conci1iatiOn.
1t 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 election they must do everything to
conciliate factions in their party and to get
votes when the time for national election
comes around again. This, they say, is
what they fear Mr.. Bryan appears to have
lost sight of. These men believe that many
democrats who bolted the ticket at the last
election ana mdrCneu out Oh theif party are
finding themselves in very uncomfortable
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 opinion is expressed that, although they
do not believe in Mr. Bryan's views on the
financial question, they would vote for him
should they be allowed to go into conven-
ton. make their fight, and finally see him
again the presidential candidate of their
party.
Relying on the Senate.
This does not mean that they are weak
ening in their views on free silver. 1t may
mean that they are fully satisfied that
should Mr., Bryan be elected to the pres
dency through the influence of this faction
of the party, he will be unable to promote
the cause of free silver, because the Sen
ate is so organized that at least for eight
years there be no silver legisla ton.
With this handicap on Mr.. 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 oppose him very Bit
tery If events should develop which would
make ii appear that conditions were drift
ing toward legislation for free silver.
This class of democrats say that Mr..
Bryan. if he is to be a successful leader,
should conciliate all factions of the demo-
cratic party and bring about a condition
under which the maximum number of
democratic votes would be cast at the next
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 not expect them to enter a renunciG
ton of their former views or to go into
sackcloth and ashes for past acts which
they believed to be right. If he would show
enough diplomacy, they say, to make a way
by which the boiling democrats could get
back into the democratic party, he would be
met half way. His voting power, they say,
would be extended. and he would run no
risk of losing power in his party, as they
realize that today free silver is stronger
in that party, If made to include them
selves, than is the gold standard.
They could not hope TO dictate the platform
end would be obliged TO see platform
adopted which in many respects would be
Gstasteful to them. But they would hesi-
tate long time before leaving the party
again.
1t is likely that within a few months Mr.
Bryan and other democratic leaders will be
approached by men entertaining these views
and they will be asked to assume an atti-
tude which will promote the interests of
democracy and strengthen the party.