New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-27
TIE True TEST.

That the Bryanite campaign in Massachusetts
does not attract the attention of the entire Ma
ton is not we able To announce, the fault of
Mr. George Fred Williams. of Dedham. who Is
each wear the leader in that State of such frag-
ments of the Democratic party there as remain
after his leadership of the previous year. MI
Williams is a true Bryanite. though he had 10
try twice before he found out why. When the
populist wave struck the Democrats at Chicago
in 1896 Mr. Williams. who is an extremely sensi
tive person was keenly affected by it, He
watched the wave come rolling in, and just as
it broke-he waited to be sure that ii would
break-he plunged into it and let it toss him
about as waves do when you are not overfrm
Oh your legs When he picked himself up. with
a natural respect for a force which could do so
much with so great a man, he declared that this
was an epoch making movement and that he
intended to have a part in it, Later he sald
that il the principle of the thing which
attracted him. This was after il turned out
that the movement was not so big a thing as 1t
appeared to him in the beginning. But he was
quite faithful to the whole Bryan programme,
and pointed out with real pride that he was
even suffering social ostraciSm in Dedham and
elsewhere account Of his devotion. This was
in truth a fine martyrdOm. for during the term
which he served in Congress he became known
doubt about Mr. Williamss Organism. AS for
his leadership he is so sure Of it that none
would be so rash as to deny that he would still
hold il. even if there one in the party in
Massachusetts except himself and Jim" Mel
len. of Worcester. There is no doubt, therefore,
of his right TO speak for Organism, both in
Massachusetts and elsewhere.
This being true, Mr.. Wilams's ruling in the
case Of Mr.. Thayer the present Representative
in Congress from the Hid Massachusetts Dis
trict, becomes interesting Mr.. Thayer is serv-
ing his first term in the House. He elected
10 succeed Mr.. Joseph II. Walker by close
vote. The district had been carried by a Demo
crat only once before in many years, and Mr..
ThayerS election was so largely attributable to
his own personal popularity that his renomina-
ton would have seemed to he a fOregOne con-
cluSiOn. 1t quite certain that no other
Democrat would stand any chance whatever of
election. Mr.. Thayer is, moreover, quite in
sympathy with the attitude of his party on
what has been declared to be the paramount
issue. He has talked as bravely against impe-
raliSm as the best of them. and he has been rs
certain as Bryan hmself-Or Mr. Williams for
that matter-that were on the road to all
kinds of horrors unless we adopted a scuttle
policy in the Philippines. Under these circum-
seeking denomination which he did with be-
coming franknesS-Mr. Thayer should have en-
countered the immediate and fOrceful opposition
of Mr.. Williams the Bryanite boss of the State
But he did encounter it. and is fairly certain to
go under as a result of it, and the reason. not
concealed, is that Mr.. Thayer had the courage
TO advocate the passage of the gold standard
bill in Congress.
Here, then. from Massachusetts comes with
authority, an illustration of the real test of
Organism. NO matter how cleverly concealed.
II is there all the time. Men who do not believe
in free coinage will be permitted to come back
TO the party to the extent of supporting the
candidate but man who voted for the gold
standard law need not apply for denomination
for congress, no matter if he is the only
Democrat in his district who might possibly
be elected No palmer evidence could be
brought Of the fact that the paramount issue
and all the plankS of the Kansas City platform
which differ from the platform of 1896 were
put there TO win the votes of the unwary. and
not because they had any real part in the Demo
cratic programme of 1900.