The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-05
The Democratic Candidate and His
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The Democratic Candidate and Hi
Pintform.
The Kansas City platform will expires
The Democratic determination. but 70
ell practical purposes Mr.. Bryan vii
be not only the candidate. but thu
platform What William Jennings Bryan
stands for is thoroughly stated in al
autograph letter he sent TO the New
York World two months ago. Il
was not intended Cor publication, but il
has been published. Citizens may dissent
from the views expressed in the communi
cation. but no man can say that 1T is not
an honest and patriotic expression of opin-
ion by the Democratic leader, utterly ir'
respective of political expediency, and to-
tally free from any inclination TO juggle
with issues Il shows most conclusively
that Mr.. Bryan is an honest man and a
natural leader. and that he would cheer
fully accept defeat. being IN the right.
rather than win success by bowling the
knee TO the Baal that all legitimate popu-
lar forces in America are striving TO throw
out from our national economic worship.
Mr. Bryan's communication to the New
York World is what enc might justly call
q state paper. It almost bars criticism.
even from people who believe that the sill
yer question. intrinsicaliy considered, might
be postponed 10 4 more convenient season.
In the presence. and under the burning
such a champion. political prudence. az
the term is generally considered, disap-
pears.
There are people thoroughly in accord
with the views of Mr. Bryan In his antago-
nism to trusts and carpetbag Imperialism.
and who are bimetallists. who yet do no;
believe that there is any miraculous fetch
An the wcrd or the metal silver"
They are of the school which always has
insisted end now insists upon a volume OF
metallic money CT ultimate redemption
which shall be sufficient to pay debts and
taxes snd to preserve the equities between
debtors and creditors. They have be-
1ieved that such volume of metallic
money could not be produced. save by the
use of silver and gold But. If it could be
shown that the production of the single
volume of metallic money they would be
satisfied: because all that they have
claimed economically for the protection OF
the people against the Legitimate con-
traction of ultimate money would be ac-
ccmplished
Mr.. Bryan perhaps justifiably takes the
radical silver view Of the currency ques-
ton. He says in his letter TO the New
York World while men differ as to
the relative Importance of the money ques-
tion, the trust question. and imperialism.
regard all Of them as important" In
the opinion OF the American masses they
are all important and equally so: only
trusts and csrpetbag Imperialism are in
a position 10 meet and fight Immediately.
while the currency question is matter
which il will be hard for the Democratic
hosts to tackle successfully for several
years. Mr. Bryan is "Chevalier Bayard"
II is not in him TO compromise with Satan.
Were it otherwise. he might think OF
making opportune concessions with the
idea that. once in pow'e-. he could at least
put bit in the mouth OF the national
bank syndicate. and explode The monetary
system built up by Hanna and his Wall
Street masters. which is not one of BIZ
metallism. Of silver or of gold, but one
OF bankers paper credit susceptible OF
manipulation to create vast expansion or
sudden contraction. and thus to put It in
the hands OF numerically small capital
fstic element to mortgage and foreclose
the enterprises of the country.
Mr.. Bryan is clearly right in saying
that the men who demand the abandon
ment OF the silver question did. what they
could to make the party a gold standard
party. and when they were outvoted they
left the party and did what they could
10 defeat the ticket" There are little head
stones over the political graves of those
boilers who, like Cleveland and Carlisle.
helped to promote the election OF Mr.. Me-
Kinley in 1896. They are to be forgotten
as corpses deeply planted four long
years ago. Their surviving few, as Mr..
Bryan properly remarks. are to be re-
sarded with suspicion and their voices in
the party looked upon as voices from
grave in which quicklime has been neg
Iected
Mr.. Bryan has placed himself on impreg-
nable ground. as far as his position is
concerned, in his declaration to the New
York World that he wants 1.-The national
banks deprived OF the power to issue paper
money" a governmental function of which
the people have been robbed, and that he
wants an income tax and the election of
Senators by the people OF the States AS
TO all three of these propositions the Dem
ocratic candidate for the Presidency ought
10 have. and, we are inclined to think.
will have, the hearty support OF the
country.
We have discussed the bankers paper
credit system which, rather than q gold i
standard. rules in America today. The
question Of the election OF Senators by the
people is a grave. and one might say. a
burning one. When 1t is possible for a
great central Western State TO be repre-
scented in the United States Senate by a
man who IS generally believed TO have
bought election TO his seat with money,
paying as much as twenty thousand dol
lars for a single vote, Il is time for |
American voters TO call halt.
Mr.. Bryan concluded his World" letter |
with this statement: Il do not care to hold |
office unless 1t enables me to do something |
TO aid the people In their fight against or |
ganized wealth, and to make peace with |
the money trust would render all efforts
fruitless." In saying this the Democratic
candidate practically established In ad-