The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-26
DEMOCRATIC MAsouERAD1NG.
The Party's Fourth of July and Dec
laratiOn Of Independence Trick.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
Playing to the galleries may be pardon
able In the Democrats of the national COM
mittee who are seriously opposed to Bryan
and Organism. Their maneuver to defeat
the "old man of the sea" at the national
convention is commemorate enough, but the
mores the pity that the masquerading
cannot be done out of sight of decency.
The great Democratic light of New York
suggested the Declaration of Independence
as the next national platform. Straight
way the opposition in the national commit
tee fixes July for the convention, even
voting down Bryan's preference for May.
Evidently Mr.. Bryan was ION to the
game" There does not seem to be so much
opposition to Bryan in the aggregation as
opposition to losing their grip for another
four years. A part of the combination
seems to think there can't be success ex-
cept with Bryan as a candidate, and the
other part wants to be sure of success,
Bryan or no Bryan, bait fear Organism in
the attempt. That's all. To avoid the lat
ter, they would span the chasm with a
blare of trumpets about imperialism" and
the Declaration of Independence all on the
Fourth of July. AS a movement to rid the
party of Bryan it is pardonable. 1t might
win were it not for the work of the ''in-
fernal newspapers" who persist I'm throw
ing light on all the angles of the propo-
sition.
Witness the combination of "outs," one
thing in which they are agreed and ag-
grieved, with or without Bryan on the
Fourth of July and the Declaration Of In
don oh sfvr,ro toll
ISM" Wouldn't that be great programme
for-central Africa? In their campaign
against imperialism, smothering 10 to 1,
no original ingenuity would be required in
the speeches or literature. The records of
Congress are rich in denunciation of Jeffer-
sons imperialism" in the Louisiana pur-
chase. of Madison's and Jackson's and
measures acquiring territory by purchase
and subjugation without the consent of
the governed" This, for instance In refer
ence to President Jefferson in 1903 regard
ing the Louisiana purchase: Never was
the executive power more extended than
when Jefferson was given despotic sway
over the territory of New Orleans" And
1T is for these reasons that have char
acterized the annexation of Texas as a
dissolution of the Union There are great
volumes of invective which the combina-
perialism'' without expanding ingenuity
for original matter. Indeed, the old rec
ords of Congress are burdened with all
of which the English language is capable;
nothing new can be said. If Mr.. Bryan
were to begin quoting II the day after the
Fourth of July, as voluble he Is, he
could not get through with this old denun-
citation of imperialism" in the acquisi-
tion of new territory by the early fathers
of the country, before the ides of Novem-
Der had hushed him forever.
The Fourth of July dodge would be a
great scheme in a county with 81 per cent.
a
cannon to the left, prosperity In front and
soup houses just in the rear it may be all
there is. Seriously, is 1t to be another
providential opportunity for the country to
become strong and great in the review of
| the history of the past, as the campaign of
Is to i proved? That seems to be the way
the Nation gets on in it's affairs. Any
way, there stands the bulwark Of history
and here are the people up in readin' and
| 'ritin'. JAY.
Indianapolis, Feb "a.