The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-07
An Even Trade,
pcwering.


The New York Democrats have made
what seems to US to be a fairly even
trade between the factions. One side
gives up it's open advocacy OF l6 to l
and the other its open derision of Mr..
BRYAN as a leader. 1t is a trade of
Bryan on one hand and David B. Hill
on the other, and either party has a
right to claim that it has been cheated.
No Republican will mourn TO see the
return OF Mr. Hin to public life, any
more than ne will TO witness the norni-
nation OF Mr.. Bryan at Kansas City.
The two men are not of the same mold.
Bryan has more honesty. Hill more
brains. There Is nothing on earth
or above II that Hill would not sacri-
flee for political eXpediency. But there
is no species of tomfoolery that Mr..
Bryan might not be brought to sup
port. because he has no mental balance
wheel. Hill would not make himself
ridiculous. Bryan enjoys it. Bryan
would not deny publicly today every
thlngh that he asserted publicly a year
ago, Hill would do it and never wink
his eye. They are Of equal value,
though of different qualities of bad
ness.
The factor which they have In COM
mon is the one that makes Republi-
cans look with delight upon the con-
tinued prominence of either in his
party. 1t is his ability to lead that party
to sure defeat No man did as much
to ruin the Democratic party in New
York state az David B. Hill. He found
New York reliably Democratic except
on extraordinary occasions. He won
Its honors and accepted its leadership.
He was senator and governor and
might have remained indefinitely at the
party's head IL he had been halfway
honest politically. He left the state
reliably Republican. and 1t was chiefly
in order to retire him from public life
that its voters first set themselves per-
manently against the Democracy.
What Bryan has done for 1t I'm the ma
ton. he has done for 1t in New York.
Each of them can guarantee a minor
ity with entire confidence in results.
To see these men measurably united
for the campa gn is only to double the
previous odds upon Republican success.
This New York deal, openly consum-
mated as II was. il another witness OF
the extent to which regard for prin-
ciple governs Democratic motions. Mr.
Fill has got at last to the point where,
with ex-Gov. Campbell and some other
trmmers. he flouts openly the sacred
ratio OF 16 to |. Nor does he conceal
his contempt for Mr.. Bryan or his opin-
ion that the election of that gentleman
as president is impossible. Indeed. he
came out Of his retirement for the pur-
pose OF preventing Bryan instructions
in the New York convention. The
Bryan men would have none OF this,
but they did not want to push things
too far, 50 they consented that H.ll
should go to Kansas City and also that
there should be no open reformation
OF the Chicago platform. They could
we'll afford 1t. since the price that HIN
had To pay was an Endorsement OF
Bryan and a pledge that the party in
thc state would ratfy the platform
adopted at Kansas City. As this Il sure
to contain the Chicago document the
ference Is that between tweedledum
and twecdledee.
The purpose OF this entire arrange
insnt, conducted with cynical indir-
ference to what the public may think
about Il. Is TO maintain the balance Of,
power between loral leaders and ma
tonal leaders. Bryan wants the vote
uf New York, but he does not care a.
pitayune who runs the state machine
ar what they think about free silver.
Croker IA emperor % New York city.
and continues the old eight for suprem-
aey IN the politics cs the state. The
onl} man able 10 contest with him tho
control ~ the state machine il nm
For The present they have had 60 de-
'.7t~ a tra,' .n order 10 prevent tho
straight brau.tes FROM sending A con-
testa.s delegation 70 Kansas CITY and
making ush, for the control OF the