The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-13
SATURDAY, JANUARY IS, 1850.
! DEMOCRATS VIEW OF BRYAN

4H ~ VI - -
A weekly Democratic magazine is
Chicago publication, with ". S. McComas'
editor and publisher This magazine
sAnds in with the party organizad ton,
and r.sneaks the Language of the tribe"
as some of the members of the Virginia
LEGISLATURE are in the habit OF saying.
Two weeks ago 1t made the announce
.nent that the veteran leaders OIL me
Democratic party believed that Bryan's
denomination. would mean the party
,cer.ain defeat next fall In the issue Oh
January 9th is another article on the
"A 40 line introduced with the statement
that tne previous article had aroused
v,-itat,e storm Of discussion. Letters
mrs coming a." says Mr. McComae,
..nany of them comm ending us for words
OF warning honestly and honorably spok-
en-. others, with a curious style of logic
which proves the very thing that 1t es-
says 10 deny. charging us with dlsloyalty
10 par;y principles: all Of them. however,
whether they praise or blame, admitting
the statement which has aroused COM
ment, namely. that throughout the length
and breadth of the land there is a con-
yicticn that Mr.. Bryan cannot lead the
party 10 victory in 1900
Mr.. McCon1as says that weeks fur
.ler investigation has shown him that
the sentiment Is even more widespread
than he had imagined, and that 1t has
reached the stage which makes it inn
possible TO ignore it further. In expla-
nation Of this he says that Bryans plat
form is too narrow for the eXigencies OF
the hour being q single-plank platform,
built out of an issue defeated at the polls,
and since then discredited beyond the
possibility of rehabilitation by the expe-
rience OF the nation. He says that MI
Bryan and the Chicago Platform are one
and inseparable, and that the one without
the other is inconccivable. Indeed, he
saws that Bryan is the platform, and that
with the fail Of the platform Bryan must
Inevitably fall.
This IS no new doctrine to the readers
az The Times We have preached 1T time
and again We have pointed out that
BRYAN could not abandon 1G to i without
retiring himself from the Presidential
race No one understands this better
than Mr. Bryan. and so. like poor Mrs
Micaw4ber. he has repeatedly said: u Will
never desert Mr. Nicawber. Mr.. Bryan
DOES not know how to break away from
nc to /. and the party does not know how
to break away from Mr.. Bryan. and there
you are.
But the Democratic Magazine thinks
the time has come for the Democratic
party to divorce itself from Bryan and
free silver and that without such heroic
action defeat Is sure. Has Mr.. B1yan's
platform disappeared?'' asks editor Nc
co,nas And he answers: Many of the
leaders, and some Of the States. have al
ready recorded their answe1s-ali In the
affirmative. be il noted. Even Mr.. Bryan
himself repudiates his platform, for 1t
Is population. nothing more and nothing
less. the way IN which he relegates to OBJ
security She currency plank that SO re-
Gently over!apped all others. Trusts and
Imperialism are in the foreground now;
oliver lass disconsoiate In the rear: 16 to
!. the railyins cry that was trumpetcd
from ON 10 ocean during The cam
paign Of 1886. Is now unheard save in the
remote Businesses OF Populism.''
This is. indeed. an interesting confess
ion from 10 distinguished a source. There
can be no donb, OF the observing MAJ,
that thousands and thousands OF Demo
Gratis throughout the whole country think
as Mr.. Mccomas thinks. but they are
not quite ready TO make The acknowledg-
ment. Many Democrats have become ln-.
different. saying that il the battle OF 1896
IL 10 be fought over again, the party Is.
bound TO go down in defeat, and Bryan
g the logical victim. But NE think that
I If. Mccon1as Is on the right track. The
J. Democratic party made fatal blunder.
In 1896. and the only thing 40 do with a
t1uneeY ~ 10 repud:ate II. Mr.. Mccnzaaai
\ alys that the Democratic party Is not .
asngIs-assue party. nor = one-rnan party.
: anl shess Who strive to make Il 70 are;
- 11oaFo = fha1 sRsssA But ~. No.