The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1900-07-19
Waterson's View.

WateIsOns View.
The democratic national convention |
has completed the main part of its
work by the nomination of Mr.. Bryan
and the adoption of platform of his
choosing.
That the nomination of Mr.. Bryan,
assured, would carry with it
the reaffirmation of all that Mr.. Bryan
stands for, has hardly been less as
sured; and consequently the result at
Kansas City will surprise no one who
has closely followed the trend of re-
cent democratic thought and move
ment. The democrats, mindful of the
that befell in the expert
ence had of a war candidate on a peace
platform, of a hard-money candidate on
a soft-money platform and of a protec-
ZIONIST candidate on a platform of free
trade negations, go to the uttermost Of
platform and nominee hold to-
gether like the paper on the wall. They
assert at one and at the same time both
the bravery and the fidelity of their
convictions. They propose to fight
over again the lost battle of 1896, with
the addition of such new issues as
events have brought upon the scene.
Gov. Thomas, of Colorado, the tenn
porary chairman OF the convention,
goes the length of declaring that he and
the chief for whom by authority he
speaks, would rather go to defeat on
these lines than to victory on any plan
of campaign, however polite, inyolv-
ing evasion, or subterfuge; and, what
ever may be thought of the practical
sagacity of such an attitude considered
from the standpoint of calculating poll
tics, the objective point of which is sue
cess, and success alone, it's courage
and its faith are alike sublime.
Thus the democratic leaders, sus-
tanned by their own self-conscious rec
titude, and riding a wave of unexam-
pied and unlimited enthusiasm, take
the highest high ground possible. They
make no concessions to anybody, They
disdain considerations of prudence.
They are blind to geographic distinc
tions. They burn their bridges be-
hind them. They claim that if they
were right in their contention in 1896,
they are right now; that the basic prin-
ciple of prosperity rests on free silver
at the ratio of 10 to 4; that most, if not
all, of the evils of which the lowly and
the poor complain emanate from the
crime of 1878, and the resultant Gold
Standard on these accounts, they ask Of
the country reversal Of the vote by
which Mckinley was elected and Bry-
an was defeated four years ago.
This is one way of fighting, 1t lies
not in the mouth of the Courier-Jour-
nal, which has always believed in
straight politics, to dispute it. If it
wins, it will vindicate itself and need
no other approval than its own, If it
loses, the men responsible will drop
out of sight and mind, never to hope
again. They take their political lives
in their own hands and like the pala-
dins Of old they go forth to battle. AS
theirs is the risk, be theirs the glory
theirs the rewards; theirs the fruits, the
honors and the fame.
The republicans will not find it safe
to discredit them Sometimes the most
reckless daring is the truest wisdom.
Intrepidity often attains of fate by its
own velocity what the tickle jade would
fain deny less ardent sutton. Emotion
is infectious. 1t may become epidemic
1t is long time, as time runs in politi
cal campaigns, between July and No
vember, and the country from the AT
lantic to the Pacific is wide and broad
but the pillows of enthusiasm that roll
ed off from the hills of the Missouri
into the plains of Kansas, may be th,
beginning of q flood tide that will
mount higher and higher as the moons
change, reaching upon the day of cleo
ton that high-water mark which NJ
resources of money and organization
however great, can successfully NEE
and overcome.
We shall not pretend that thes,
things fall in with our own view 0
such affairs. We should have coun
seled another line of battle, dilTeren
plan of campaign. But, long ago tn
Courier-J ournal abdicated Its leader
ship, accepting that of the men now il
the saddle; and we shall abide the re
suit in perfect good faith, ferventl
hoping that they are right, and that W
ourselves are wrong, and praying tina
the end will justify these energetic de
monstrations in the name Of democracy