The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-07-18
THAT PLATFORM.
Editor Of The Tribune

Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: l have been reading with considerable in.
terest that wonderful platform which Mr.. Bryan
forced the Kansas City convention to adopt.
have taken more than usual interest in the plat
form because it was heralded in special from
Kansas City as reading like charter OF hu-
man rights" and given out at the South Side
meeting the other night as a second Declaration
Of Independence In this article | propose TO
speak more particularly OF the first plank which
anirms belief in the principles OF the glorious
Declaration OF Independence Why this waste
of timer Was it because the Democratic party
has behaved itself so badly In the past that
Mr.. Bryan knows the people hava an inkling
that his party has no definite understanding OF
the real meaning of the great declaration OF
July 4, 1776? Does he and his followers think
the people are so short memoried as TO have
forgotten the past history of the so.caled Demo.
cratic party2 Does he and his followers think
| that the people have forgotten the fact that il
was the Democratic party that tried to force
| the system of human slavery upon bleeding Kan
| sas? Does he and his followers have the thought
| that they can blind the people to the fact that
| it was the Democratic party that caused John
| Brown to be hanged at llarper's Ferry in 1881
| Does Mr.. Bryan and his followers think the
people who love the principles set forth in the
Declaration of Independence are ready to accept
| the affirmation OF the Kansas City platform as
| an honest expression of belief by the Democratic
party in those principles, when it is written In
letters Of blood that the Democratic mObs killed
| Owen Lovejoy and made life almost a burder
to orators like Wendell Phillips, William LOyc
| Garrison and others because these worthie'
preached deliverance for the down.trodden col
orcd man? Does Mr.. Bryan and his party thinl
that the American people have forgotten thu
| caneing by the Democratic Preston Brooks o
| Charles Sumner in the United States senate be
| cause Mr.. Sumner had shown in faithful speccl
the Vaccinations of the Democratic party in re
gard to securing for the Shareholders the fai
| soil Of Kansas?
The record of the Democratic party is blacl
with attempts to crush free speech and libert.
| on American soil No wonder that Mr.. Bryal
| and his followers are anxious to cover the pas
record by reaffimation Of the principles Of tn
| Declaration of Independence. But the people d
not forget the record The people know the al
Grmation of a belief in the Declaration Of Inde
pcndcnce is hypocrtical and intended to deceiv
and seduce those who are removed man
years from the times that tried mems souls tha
many know OF the facts mentioned above onl
from the reading Of history. The declaration q
their belief in the great American Magma Chart
is like Satan's attempt to preach the gospel q
the Lord and Master, it is the invitation OF tn
spider to the fly to walk into the parlor. Tn
American people will not be deceived by tn
specious, dcmagogc attempt to lead them astra
by such hypocritcal affirmation as that in plan
one of the Kansas City platform.
G. II. Wheeler
Scranton, July 10.