Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-02

The most interesting development at Kan
sas City 50 far is the division of opinion
over the platform. The brethren may be
ClaSsed as conservatives and -extrem SITS
The conservatives are those VINO would
reaffirm in general terms the Chicago plat
form. and then come out strong on impe-
rialism and trusts. The extremists are those
who insist that the reaffirmation of the
Chicago platform must be specific, so as to
make it impossible for the republicans to
bring the charge of a backdown against
the democracy
Strangely enough. Senator Jones. from the
silver state of Arkansas. shows up in the
ranks of the conservatives. Hear Mr.
Jones:
Il don't think anything will be adopted
by this convention that will be a deviation
- much the breadth of hair from the
principles laid down in the Chicago plat
form y reafiirmation of the platform will
mean the adoption of every word and let
ter in it, including the Is to l decara lion.
] do not believe that a reiteration of that
plank or any other is necessary to make
plain our position. If il is necessary to re-
state the III to / provision it would be
equally necessary to state that relating to
the supreme government by injunction. the
income tax and every other provision; for.
il We should single out one provision only
and specify it there might be a claim that
We did not mean to indorse the other fea-
lures in reattirming the Chicago platform.
II the convention adopts the Chicago plat
form II Will mean that every syllable is in
dorsed- l do not know just what form the
Endorsement will take, but it will mean
=NeTythiaS II says
This is hardly fair statement of the
raSe- The silver plank of the Chicago plat
form is not to be classed in point of i'm
portance with the income tax plank, the
anji-Supreme Court plank or any other
plank of that extraordinary document, 1t
il plank apart. 1t is the plank which
brought to the support of Mr.. Bryan the
pGpuiSts and the silver republicans. They
were not. could not have been. attracted to
him by the others. They supported him
solely because of the stand taken by him
and his PARTY on the silver issue. If there
fore the silver plank is grouped now with
the others in terms of general approval
there will be danger of a detection of popu-
lists and silver republicans from the Bryan
tic ranks The generalization will be
charged to the influence of Wall street.
Equally strange IS the fact that George
Fred Williams. from the gold state of Mas
,sachusetts. shows up in the ranks of the
extremiSts-as a leader indeed. Hear Mr.
Williams:
If we were right in 1895 why should
We change now? To simply reafIirm the
ChicaSo platform is not sufficient Nor
would il be enough to declare for binet-
stiiiSnh Every man could declare himself
Il bImetallist. and place the ratio at - to
/ or - TO !. to suit his own ideas all of
Thich would mean nothing. / do not be-
H"ve this convention viii be satisfied with
ANYTHING but Il specific IL to | declara Ii IN.
The morale Of the party demands it.
and If We were right when We poIled SIX
and a half million votes. We will be right
in making the declaration anew. Mr.
Bryan could not honorabIy stand upon
platform that even by implication aban-
dpned the great issue on which the former
campaign fought. We cannot wri.e
ourselves down as being jackasses or
Enaves in 1915 by leaving out the old ratio
declaration
IF We were right in 1885, Does Mr..
Williams recall the Bryanite contentious of
that year. and the developments since?
Were men ever further from being right
than Mr. Bryan and his friends Were i'll
That wear? Have not events knocked the
spots out of every proposition with regard
10 silver that Mr. Bryan then laid down?
We cannot write ourselves down as being
Jacka~seS in 1885 Maybe not now If
you didn't do in 1896, in the light of re-
suits. the thing cannot be done
But. after all. it comes back to this: Mr.
Bryan will lie at once candidate and plat
form. and the democracy will win or lose.
in his personality.