The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-06
The pemocratic pilemma.

The Democracy is in the worst di-
lemma 1t has encountered in the history
Of the party. Senator Jones, chairman
of the National Committee, has awals-
ened to the critical character of the
situation and has appointed a sub-com-
mittee consisting Of Senators Bacon, of
Georgia; Money, of Mississippi; Turley,
of Tennessee, and TiIlman, Of South
Carolina, ito get together and see II
they cannot evolve something that viii
stand for platform. '"They are to
examine" says Washington dispatch,
oil the Democratic state platforms
adopted since 1896 and gather from
them the drift OF party opinion. Anti
expansion Will, of course, be one Of the
main planNs, and anu-trusts another.
These, together with variety OF at
tacks upon the administration for its
conduct Of the war, its alleged favorit-
ism toward the national banks. denun-
Citations Of Republican measures such
as the monetary bill and tho shipping
bill. charging the administration with
friendliness with England In the pres
ent South African war, and the usual
abuse of the "robber tariff" as exem-
plitied in the DIngley bill, together with
demand for a reduction or repeal of
the Internal revenue taxes imposed to
meet the expenses of the war with
Spain, may be expected to compose this
patchwork platform"
But how about that Chicago remInis-
cence, which Col. Bryan has stated will
be reanirmed2 AS Bryan has appro-
priated the nomination, and as 1t is
agreed there will be no opposition TO
him In convention. we are rather In
clined to believe that he WIN have some
thing to say in the matter. But In any
event how are all the discordant ele-
ments in the party to be placated on
the financial and expansion questions?
Even trusts and combinations OF cap
ital have their defenders in the ranks.
1t was only the other day that Bryan's
attention was called to the fact that
Chairman Jones was connected with
two or three trusts. For answer the
colonel only smiled, evidently thinking
1t a good Joke that the chairman OF the
National Committee should be any way
associated in an aftectIonate manner
with the Shiny Octopus. Then the SEN
atorial colleagues Of two members of
the subcommittee appointed 10 ham.
mer out u platform favor the exFan-
sion policy with regard TO the Philip
pines, although ali are agreed on the
free silver question. But the worst
blow of all comes from Bryan's irn.
ming mate, Mr.. sewcll, of Maine, late
Democratic candidate for vIce-presl-
dent In an interview in San Francis
CO he is reported as saying:
II have always favored the acquisition
Of the Philippines, after the Paris
treaty. The United States should
that 10 being done to hold the Philip
pines: they are worth retaining, Mr.
Mckinley will be renominated and re-
elected Mr.. Bryhn, too, will be re-
nominated, but fear that he cannot
win the gOnl. The fact ls that the coun.
try has been too prosperous to warrant
any hope Of change In the national ad-
minlstrHtlon, and people are slow to
take up reform measures when tlmes
ere AZ good as they arc Mt present. I
am not n candidate for the vice-pre8i-
dency again. / believe II 10 poor policy
on the part OF the Democracy to select
any candidate from the east where no
electoral votes may be expected, and l
am not ambitious to make the race
again. II the Democrats call upon mo
again, however, could not refuse to do
my duty"
Wedo not know of the situation hRv-
ing been more clearly stated than Mr..