The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-05-15
TEE CInoINNAr1 POPS.


did Just what was expected. Secretary
Charles Dick, Of the Republican COM
mittee, had been there and had fixed
up the whole matter. 1t was the same
kind Of deal that was put through in
Ohio two years ago, and which de-
tracted great many votes that should
have been cast for the Democratic
candidate. But the Populists are not
now numerous. They cut very little
figure in the state Of Ohio and will cut
less in the nation. The middle Of the
road contingency is composed Of lot
of notioned cranks who have neither
diplomacy nor political brains. Whether
they are honest is attested by the fact
that every convention they have held in
the past few years has been paid for by
the Republican national committee.
Neither decency nor consistency is con-
nected with their convention methods
and they can never hope to attain what
they insist upon In their platform. They
call their party the party of the people,
yCt. thcy tuih tISiI OdSho W ehS ohiy
opportunity to help the people. The
fellows that met at Cincinnati are not
wanted in the Democratic party and
the sooner they are given to under
stand that their withdrawal is well
coined the better It will be for the par
ty. One thing that has put the Demo-
cratic party into disrepute in states
that ought easily to be Democratic is
the constant compromise Of Jefferson
ian principle with every long-whiskered
Ism that happens down the pike. The
Democratic party can better afford de-
feat without these fellows than victory
with them. If they want to be Of val
ue to their country, they should step
up and vote the Democratic ticket like
men. But they are not honest in their
contentious and seek only to create dis
order that Republican victory may be
made secure. 1t is refreshing to note
that they put a complete ticket in the
field at Cincinnati There will be no ex-
cuse to dodge the issue and we will
have an opportunity to discover just
how much there is of the tail that has
been permitted to wag the Democratic
party.
At Sioux Falls there was assembled a
crowd of citizens who meant to do right.
They knew the hope Of the plain people
Of this nation lay in the Democratic
party. They knew that no man better
represented the principles of Democ-
racy in a broader sense than William j.
would be the Democratic candidate.
They are entitled to no particular mon
uments for perspicacity in their NOM
ination of Mr.. Bryan, for 1t was patent
that he would be nominated by the
Democrats and any ordinary brain
~ could figure out that the way to help
defeat McKinleyism and imperialism
was to make certain an endorsement of
the Democratic convention action in
advance. In this the Populists at Sioux
Falls displayed wisdom that their long
cared brethren at Cincinnati could not
comprehend. Democrats generally
will not consider the fact that Popu-
list convention first endorsed Mr.. Bry-
an in 1900. Republican papers are en-
deavoring to raise old issues on the
theory that Mr.. Bryan is the Populist
nominee and that the convention al
Kansas City will be ratification, but
they will make little headway.. Mr.
Bryan has already been nominated fol
the presidency so far as the Democratic
people are concerned, just as Mr.. Nc
Kinley is already nominated by Repub.
licans.
But the Populists at Sioux Falls were
not clever enough to avoid the mistake
of selecting a running mate for Mr.
Bryan. The inconsistency Of the party
generally had to crop out there and
Mr.Towne was nominated for vice-pres'
ident. This can be construed only as
an attempt to dictate to the Democratic
convention at Kansas City and should
be SO considered. The convention thai
Will nominate Mr.. Bryan to head the
Democratic ticket will pick its own tail
and that without reference to the ac'
ton of the Sioux Falls convention
Mr.. Towne is a good man and the con
vention had right to be for him If 4
wanted to be, but It was not wisdom t.
take the action that was taken. On the
essential features the Populists tha
met at Sioux Falls are correct and
their action insures Democratic success
on the main issue Of the campaign
which is to elect Democratic presi
dent