The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-16
DIR. i;liYAN.S Gi;ip.

- a. ib4a Nv
The Vicksburg Herald. most sensible
and esteemed contemporary. does not
agree with The Times that the downfall
OF the Democratic party was due TO the
personal ascendency of William j. Bryan.
1t thinks that we have mistaken the eff
feet for tie cause, and says that It was
rather the downfall of Democracy shat
caused the ascendency Of Bryan.
Democracy fell down. adds. the Herald.
when its leaders pIowcd with the neifgrs
of Popu ism and anarchy at Chicago in
1886, and that descent made ready ths
way for the leadership of Mr.. Bryan
In part that is true The Democratic
convention of 1886 Lost lis head and went
wild over Popul.st.c theories, ana as
there is always man for EVERY crisis.
50 Mr.. Bryan rose up TO lead this re-
volutionary n'oyaemen1. He stuck The
people as no other man could kave done,
but he led the party to defeat.
At Kansas City, four years later. how
ever, there was gathering OF DEM
ocrats altogether different from the
gathering at Chicago. The temper Of
the Kansas City convention was as unlike
the. temper OF the Chicago convention "a
Democracy is unlike populi-n. The
delegates 70 that convention did not want
TO nominate Mr. Bryan after he insisted
upoo q distinct declaration il favor Ct
free silver, and but for the fact at
they were largely instructed to vote foc
him the convention would undoubtedly
have turned 10 David e. Hill and would
haze nominated him upon sound Dem
ocratic platform. The convention had no
other alternative than to nominate Bryan,
and after the nomination was made and
the platform adopted despair fell upon
the delegation. It is an open secret that
the party leaders Al that convent o.!
agreed among themselves that it was I'M
possible TO eject Bryan upon such q plat
folm. and t2ley went into the fight with
Out heart Or hope, knowing that defeat
was Inevitable SNhea the campaign
opened Mr.. Bryan began his famous can
vassins tour, making from q dozen TO
thirty speeches a day. He preached tie
gospel Of di.coaten; wherever he went:
he tried to array cas- against class. the
rich against the poor; he made IT p q u
that he was as radical in ali his views as
he had been in the campaign Of 1856. and
he was vigorously beaten.
Tat The defeat Of Tuesday, November
9Th. was a defeat Of Mr.. Bryan rather
than OF the parry is attested by the fact
that he ran behind the local ticket Almost
everywhere, and that thousands and hu2-
dreds Of thousands Of men who voted for
Democratic nominees for Congress here
and there refused TO vote for the Dem
ocratic nominee for the Presidency. 1t
was Sir. Bryan's personality and his
well known views OH finance that gave
torce 10 the free silver plank in the pat
form. II David &. Fill had been the
nominee, even with that plank IN the
platform it had been impossible for the
Republicans TO make free silver an issue,
and the :lee silver plank would have oees.
ignored. II is for these plain reasons
that we say tl;at the disaster OF 1900 was
due TO the personal ascencency OF Mr.
Eryan in that campaign. The people
were far more afraid Of him than OF the
platform upon which he stood. Dem
ocrats were willing to undo the biunder
of 1896 and so hack to first principles
Bui Mr. Bryan would not permit it. He
had command of ,he situation and lie
was determined to have his way. The:
leaders were noweriess and there was
nothing Tor them to CO hu; submit ane
make the best Of il.
III was universally agreed. says the
I.rnchbnrg News, which supported TIE
ticket as vigorously as 1t could. pY every
body except the Popui.sts OF the Western
States that the currency question was no
longer practical issue. Tho c2noit'oaS
did NOT justify another fight al +Li,ls lime
To-. the restoration of free silver coinage
at the cd ratio Of i6 TO l. There were
o her vital questions up. upon Whicn the
Democr attic party might have won q great
victory But the Inevitable candidat e
;enacio,isly insisted upon an opcii ana
aggressive avowai OF the Ii Co l doetrsne.
His influence dominated the COMMITTEES
ON Platform AT Kansas City n spite or
the pro est OF men like Daniel ana I'm
and others sof equal prominence inc
Democratic party had. therefore, 70 nght
q defensive battle in every deeataole
state, with the result almost pre-of-
dained.
That Is the whole story in a paragraph.
The party would gladiy haSa broken
away from, Organism. but could not be-
cause Mr.. Bryan had grip upon the