The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-27
;rA1EMENT BY COCHRAN
4. \, Is a Democrat without Adjective,
Z Qualification or liyphen."
Il Re NO DIRECTION TO Mr.. BRYAN
~. pennies IL Wise 20 Declare
., Nc VIII support Himdf Silver
is Not the Issue.

.,ncratc speah'i9 ih s"S V N"i'P''s"'
n'ss. a statement in the form Of an
.,.w in which he says; II am not
IA in any movements, plots or en-
N aid any democratic faction or
~ ls-, apy democratic politicians. am
' u, gold democrat nor silver
s.,rst Bryan or an anti Bryan
.,, | am simply democrat With
.s,ac,iye qualification or hyphen.
.,a tsss believed that fidelity to demo-
IL principles imposed opposition TO the
nocratic party Therefore, supported
..anblican candidate. My opposition.
ssr was confined 10 the platform. To
=. candidate there was no objection, and
.s.rs ,ould have been none. Before his
,.,ion had served four years with
lo tal 4" rnnrrsss and the high opinion
nl IN y I formed then OF his personal quail
,,,"s am glad 10 say. is now held by tho
nso,s American people, But Mr.. Bryan
.arsonal virtues, lar from diminishing my
DS,sctiot 10 the platform on which he
",nod IN 1896. intensifies It, Vicious prin-
s,nles are never dangerous when support
~ by a vicious or common place man.
In. ic mil
~, misrulded virtue that they become
s sSs,,v formidable. From all this you viii
nsr,c,re that the reason which led me to
rsvara Mr.. Bryan as most dangerous caIt
sisa,e while he represented what | be-
4 ,,oyed.to BE- a vicious platform would lead
NE h supptrt him warmly IL he stood on
sound PLATFORM
DO yoa believe that Mr. Bryan can be
nersuaied to climate the silver question
4 irom the next campaign?
II nm Very uh,.cn mistaken in him
N he would br capable Of suppress
4 siug, renuuncing or Disgusting his
views ON any question for amy re-
,,nrd, even the presidency of the
4 United states.
4 aRut the issues Of the campaign de- roi
DEPEND upon Mr. Bryan or any other
i leader. They are likes by the preoecupa'
4 lion o. the electors. Campaigns are al
Nays waged on the question which hap
4 pens to be of CHER interest to the people
at the time. in this respect the conyen.
/ ton has no otner function than to for
mulate the opinion reached by the rank
4 and file Of he party as the result OF IN
lyidual reflection and of local discuss
| sions The people seldom, If ever, pass
| upon more than one issue at a time, for
The obvious reason that men who agree
upon any one question are likely to differ
/ upon another, and therefore the paramount
i question becomes the decisive Issue.
THE issue I'm the next election viii no
imperialism or silver; II can not be both
No matter what platform the convention
may adapt, II its candidate were elected
The currency of this country could not po
reduced to silver basis for at least four
sears The silver question. therefore. viii
ntrIot
question, which can not be decided by
the election can not become one Of its is
sues. The American people have ne, er
Saged presidential contest upon an alb
straction. The question which can be de-
eded-and forever decidedly the pop
nlar verdict next November. There is lit
We doubt that Ii viii be rejected II all who
Vpnlemn 1t are allowed 10 unite in OPP
posing IT. The only chance of its success
hes In the danger that anti-imperialists
nay be divided by the injection of a final
discussion into the campaign For my
psr', however, I believe this issue will lo
presented without any distracting question
% eomplicate it, II is inconceivable that
Inuef our political system the people
lnYulu De nedien the right to pezs direct
upon question involving the very
au,.ae ana essence of our government.
,,,.t..', NVH4It LOT MT. Bryan re
nsn..uatioh appears to be unanimous in his
part the sentiment is still stronger thaf
nv, rMe people OF this country should have an
rpSVi'uhity to vote squarely upon this
toncy' which threatens to effect n divorce
$500. our flag and our constitut on by
ma the one over countries where
,ssa' v'ner can not exist. and which has all
min uepriVed us of that unQuestioned
s.ses among civilized nations which W.
,n,. sieNeI during the first glorious cen
w. ~ OF our existence.
~ unite the democratic partv A. 10 M,
,s ,,ssary that it should repudlate any Of
po,r y,.Aer expressions; that it should re.
h. ~, suppress or even disguise any of
Be- avs ss. The democratic party would
the s,,,."-e' II, recognizing the fact that
he necni question has been postponed by
s,m.p eopie Tor at least four years-reaf-
,,mng If necessary. the faith of the mi
de,ss, a. tne declarations of sc and their
\ es sss, to press them whenever an
uIsr WI again arises for obtaining a pop
eleot,o uict upon them; realizing that this
tha var,. MOVIES not any one policy but
mon, existence of democratic govern
isens ~ me convention should invite all cit
Ren,,h nuo aohor the attempt to clothe this
10 III IN the tawdry rags OF imperialism
inteyrtip'' erate in maintaining the territorial
herss..y o. the United States TO be settled
y In" nat then would be your PLATFORM"
deDeraoaa reaifirm the Declaration of In
alons snee and 80 to the people on that
q lsoo W such platform the campaign
1900 ~ would resemble the campaign OF
suits ~, s ISSUES, its temper ana its re-
innmo-, VINO can doubt that Jefferson S
do rsss,al work would obtain in 1900 an in
lis an,has as emphatic and as salutary as
w., uor received in 1902"
insist are aware that Mr.. Bryan himself
plstforra ppm the readoption of the Chicago
IN In its eutirety?" M
a.. nave no doubt Mr. BRYAN vii, adyo.
dent tbs, course and | am equally conf,
date ~ nc would decline TO be a candi-
ot TO remain in the convention II the
Il so platform were repudiated directly
can as or indirectly by silence Bur
rsfn- ~. and do not believe thar he would
Sentiea !" accept the Judgment Of the con
Tina as to whether this is The proper
irIpa nu occasion for submitting the doe
iqerneni in that platform TO the
NJ M OF the people.
form a., hryan We're elected upon a plat
QUO shc,,sIing that the financial status
Years De preserved for the next four
lcyallv nave no doubt that he would
b frea soiue by ii. He would, of course
adFoea, seek reelection In 1904 as an
reaorus-ao, Tree silver, and il he we're
opposs 49, on such a platform, | would
1856 again as earnestly as l did in
fHtire ne meantime, he would have an
arial, xnR.b surround himself with Of
eeald , Sho Jared his views. and WIN
hon,n ..u,sreiore, be trusted Ia aid his re-
ihoss This would exclude me and