The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-16
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1G, 1900.
POLITICAL SIGNS.

Evidences multiply that the southern
people are anxious TO cut loose from
Bryan and Organism. We printed Friday
an extract from the Macon Telegraph in
which that piper showed that Mr.. Bryan
was not the man 10 lead the Democratic
party in The future, and that Is the party
expected 10 win il must have new
leader and a true Democratic platform.
That article appeared in the Telegraph Of
December 18th, and on the same day the
Mobile Register contained an article to
the same purport. The Register says that
Mr.. Bryan prefers the principles of the
Chicago platform to success, that he in
ststs that these are the true principles. Of
Democracy md should not be abandoned
in the face OF defeat, for defeat is not a
ainal Judgment. This is a fair sample, :"
says our contemporary, 'of Mr. Bryan 5
ability TO befog himself with logic, the use
OF which he but imperfectly understands.
il doe, not occur 10 MIR. Bryan that some
of these may be false principles. Having
laid down as fact something that is
probably not a fact, hut a mere assump-
lion, he raises upon il a structure that i
logical ana will be convincing TO those
Who do not examine the foundation. ;"
And the Register concludes:
We do not regard all the principles laid
down in the Chicago platform as true.
we know that i number of them are not
true That they are specious statements,
having no basis OF truth. And We say
that, this being the case, we are ready 10
accept the verdict OF two elections as con-
7irming our ouinion on the subject ana as
advising that we place The party upon
Better foundation next time
Ii We do not do 50, We have. n our
opinion. no hope Of success. Mr.. Bryan
prefers to go down in defeat. defending
his speciouS principles, but we are :lot Of
that kind. We believe Democracy his
principles OF the true sort. and mat those
principles are best for the republic. We
want our party in Office, primarily for the
gooi it can do to the republic by practic-
ing the principles Of truth and justice;
and only .secondarily for the pleasure OF
having voice in the conduct OF the re-
puGolic's affairs.
Therefore, we are not satisfied to join
ourselves TO the idols OF the past and
thank heaven that We are firm N our own
conceit. Rather do we declare that the
party must rejuNeuate ilself-with Mr..
y
ton AS il is or without him if he persist
in his present blindness TO realities.
The Jackson South Alabamian has an
article on the same line. in which it
comes out bluntly and says that II would
like very much to see the party again
lake M, .old-time Democratic principles
with Grover Cleveland as The leader.
These are hopeful signs, The southern
people are now beginning TO realize. if
they do not fully realize. that they made
a great hlunder when they cut loose from
their Democratic friends at the North
and allied themselves with the Populists
OF The Nest, and we believe that they
Nili never again 3c caught in amy such
7fedicament. The southern people are by
nature Democrats and not Fopulists. Ne
believe that the most genuine article of
Democracy in this country is 10 be found
tn the South. and it Was only by a chain
of unfortunate circumstances that the
South became m.Aed up IN Populisu.