The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-08

Honesty in Politics Pays.
The Democratic party Is today In
position TO sympathize with the man who
said that he knew honesty to be the best
policy because he had tried them both.
We are not now speaking OF honesty as
involved in the issues that 1t puts to
the front. but of honesty In supporting
those issues. be they right or wrong.
For there 10 no reason to doubt that the
party would have Jared far better with
any issue. no matter what. no matter
how absurd. II the country had believed
its support OF that issue to be conscien-
tious ana sincere.
The truth IL that the Kansas CITY plat
form was custom made" and that all the
defamation In support Of II was forced
and unnatural The one plank In II
which Mr. Bryan undoubtedly approved
with his whole heart and mind was that
relating to finance. He believes in nat
money, whether silver or paper. On other
nsbuious that he could debate on any side
Of them without mental anguish or moral
sacrifice. From the time OF the conven-
ton he was embarrassed by the neces-
sity OF placing this issue in the rear.
He was hampered more than helped by
the assistance OF men like Carl Schurs
and other believers in sound money. who
besought him to be moderate. Hence his
refusal TO answer plain and reasonable
questions relative to maintaining the gold
standard cost him his reputation for
sincerity. The public. which knew accur-
ately that he stood on the same financial
platform as in 1896. lost the respect for
his honesty which they held then. al
though they believed him to be mistaken.
With respect to the other so-called Is
sues. the case was stiil more Iamentable
for the Democracy. II went into the
campaign with dishonesty blasoned all
over II. Its leading men had been ardent
champions OF expansion at a time when
It suited them TO do 80. Mr.. Bryan had
labored to secure the ratification OF the
treaty with Spain; and from that act all
our subsequent duties and responsible
ties issued naturally and necessarily. To
evade that record. expansion" was dif-
ferentiated from imperialism" and OF
the latter was made an issue that the
public knew TO be rank fraud. The
voters were Disguised and fnsulted by all
this patter about danger TO the republic.
II was stale. silly. infantile. They knew
that neither Mr. Bryan nor one OF his
supporters. barring the little band Of
hystericai and sentimental people repre-
scented by Atkinson. Garrison and schruz.
believed for one instant the things that
they were saying. And the people win
not be psltered with in that way. they
resented the treatment. and their resent
ment appeared In their votes.
They were not less offended by the
Democratic attempt 20 make a party Is
sue OF the trusts. Honestly handled, this
might have been very effective. A great
many people are seriously disturbed by
the concentration OF capital in the con-
duct OF industry. II Is phenomenon so
new that even students Of economic sci
ence DO not profess 10 have mastered II
sects. IT Is more recondite by far. TO the
public mind than the silver question was
four years ago But there is deep ana
general sntipashy to monopoiies. ana a
universal apprehension Of the eomblna-
ton OF capital misnamed the trust, The
public was alert and sensitive on that
point.
Here. again. the Democratic party
dlgged a pit and stralsh,way ssil Into a.
u piled up = mountain Of proof to show
that its position relative TO tho trusts
was demagogie, II began by defeating
n proposed amendment 10 the oons,itu-
tion. giving 90 congress power TO deal
with the trusts; showing thereby. ius; as
in the ratification Of the treaty %
Paris. that !, was more anxious 20 pre-
serve a possibly effective campaign Issue
than 20 serve the interests Of the peo-
pie or 70 antagonixe the trust. II pro-
posed no moderate action. hut declared
for the abolition % the trust In toto: ara
this is equivalent TO saying that all cor
porAtions must be outlswed- Then, in
this extreme attitude. q took 10 its bosom
the most offensive Of trusts. The mana
ger OF its campaign was a man who Is
now accommodating millions as the pron,
Of monopoly. The man who helped 10
write the antitrust resolution for :,s