The Washington weekly post., 1900-05-29
Isit Good or Bad politIcs2

Is u Good or Bad Politics2
Here ls a clipping from an editorial IN
the Baltimore sur that Il having wide
circulation in the editorial department Of
goId-standard Democratic newspapers. a
number OF which accord 1t the graceful
hospitality of double leads, while a triple
loaded setting is deemed the proper thing
by :wo very prominent journals o. that
reputable and presumably influential class:
Mr.. BRYAN on a present-day platform
With no looking backward in II. would
attract nine-tenths OF all the independent
voters who are alarmed and disCusted az
the policies, domestic and foreign. OF the
present administration And on look
ing-backWard' platform he cannot do IL
Looking backward Is assumed 20 re-
fer TO the Chicago platform OF 1SS and
chiefly 10 the currency issue as therein
formulated "A present-day platform
means. undoubtedly, ringing" declg7a-
ton Of Democratic faith and policy On the
live issues that have arisen since the last
Presidential election. and are regarded
by conservative Democrats as mascots dos
tined 70 take the place OF the deposed
hoodoo, 16 10 /.
\ number Of questions and a bounaless
eXpanse OF speculation are suggested BY
The Suns brief output. For example, is
not Mr.. Bryan a better judge than any
Of his critics as to the kind Of platform
on which he can poll the most vOtes' He
has had a finger on the public pulse al
e. L
derstands the situation both in and out ~
the enemy's country. He knows as well
as any other man that 16 TO ! Is, for al
practical purposes in 1900. as dead aS last
years daisies He knows that all the
Democratic losses sustained since 1896 have
occurred where his pet issue was pushed;
that all the Democratic gains have been
made where that issue was practically
ignored. Therefore, is it not a reasonable
presumption that he believes. as do the
sagacious politicians of both Of the great
parties. that the old issue cannot be made
prominent this year, no matter how prom
inent a place ii may have in the Kansas
City platform? Does not he, does not
every intelligent Democrat and Repub-
lican. do not 1.-The Independent voters" all
understand that the American people are
Incapable of getting excited over glost
that has been laid. incapable of fighting
over an issue that has no place or per-
tinency in the canvass?
If then, Mr.. Bryan insists on looking
backward" is it mot clear that he sees a
necessity for SO doing? While it is next
to impossible that he expects to wage
second battle of the standards, and while
it is certain that he favors a fight on the
new issues is it not evident that ne sees
good and sufficient reasons for reassert-
ing the mummified issue? He evidently
beIeves-and can anybody show that he
is mistaken?-that, not TO look back
ward would be 10 cut loose from the
two minor continGents of the great COM
bine. He evidently beljeves-and who can
SHOW that he is wrong-that, in throwing
off the Populists and Silver Republicans
re would sacrifice much more than he
would gain? If by looking backward"
he can hold those elements. and if "the
present day part OF the platform should
obscure the mummy. just as 16 to l threw
all else out of sight four years ago, would
rot Mr.. Bryan's judgment be vindicated?
And there is another question that seems
TO us TO have some pertinency. Is not
Mr. Bryan himself so thoroughly. so COM
/ pletely, so utterly, and so inseparably
| identified with the Chicago platform that
| IN the opinion of the Independent voters"
| be would still stand for il if he were the
| candidate and on a ''preSent-day plat
| form?" Knowing it TO be defunct realizing
| that all the interests of the country are
| oentared in the new issues, It is confidently
| believed that many OF the independent
voters" would vote for Mr.. Bryan in spite
| of all unpleasant associations. With the
! clear understanding that the looking
| backward" was mere strategy 10 hold the
! Populists and Silver Republicans; that 16
TO I was matter of no importance what
ever. it having been mustered out of the
/ list OF live issues by act of Congress, is il
! reasonable TO suppose that any consider
aOIe number OF Independents who would
not vote for Mckinley would hesitate to
vote for Bryan?
The Post is not prepared to answer all
the foregoing queries with any degree OF
positiveness, but they seem to US to be
worth considering. II may be that ell the
political sagacity in the Democratic party
is not possessed by the faction that bolt
cd four years ago. Assuming, as we are
bound 10 do, that Mr.. Bryan fully under
stands the back number character Of his
ret issue we are by no means compelled
10 attribute his adherence 10 the cadaveI
to any lack of political acumen. What
ever OF doubt exists as 10 whether II is
good politics for him to tote the weary
lead" can only be decided by future
events.
Does Mr. TiIlman take the precaution tc
look under the bed for the Emperor be
fore retiring?
NK-bay fr comes ~ r,iSc3rrifd predictions