The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-19
TIE xEnRAsKA DEMooRArs.

LIE NE6hASAA DEMOCH1Ao'
The state of Nebraska is the first state
in which Democrats have indicated any
desire to perpetuate the existing party
conditions. From present indications
they will continue to enjoy this distinc-
ton The renewed alliance between
Democrats and Populists and the avowal
Of continued adhesion to free silver are
no doubt intended to be a tribute to the
| worth of Mr.. Bryan's leadership.
1t would perhaps be unreasonable to
expect the Democrats of Nebraska to
cast aside the party policy of the past
five or six years in an hour. Devotion
to Mr.. Bryan among his friends and
| neighbors must necessarily be great; and
while that devotion might find expression
more to the party's advantage, and no
less effectively. so far as related to Mr..
Bryan himself, by casting aside that
policy, it is very easy to understand
how the matter is almost certain to be
regarded from the opposite view point
by those Immediately concerned.
Concurrentiy with the announcement of
the Populist-Democratic fusion in Ne
braska, comes the intelligence that the
third party movement inaugurated some
months ago has convention or gather
ing of some kind at present in Kansas
CITY The third party, as we are in
formed, is to be composed of mid-road
and fusion Populists, liberal Socialists
whatever type Of Socialism these may
represent-state ownership Socialists.
Silver Republicans, Single Tax leaguers
and state ownership Socialists. So far
as the dispatches indicate, there are no
Democrats, either from Nebraska or else
where. included in the Kansas City body.
The question naturally suggests itself
whether the Populists and Silver Repub-
lcans of Nebraska are to exclude them
selves from party fellowship with their
brother Pepulists who are about to be-
whether the Nebraska Democrats will be
willing by inference, if not actually, as the
result Of their fusion, to continue in po-
lttical association with members of a
new party, whose platform. we may
easily foretell, will embody some doc
trines that, even on the widest stretch
of the political Imagination. cannot be
regarded as representing Democratic
teaching. Indeed, when the new party
has been formally called into existence,
it will be rather a novel position which
the Nebraska Democrats will find them
selves in, of acting in political co-opera-
ton with members of another political
party whose mission is the defeat of the
party to which they profess to belong
and the popular reputation of its prin-
ciples.
Considered on its merits, the action of
the Democrats Of Nebraska can safely
be regarded as one which will not appeal
favorably to Democrats in any other
state or section. They have declared in
favor Of a policy of retrogression. They
have stated their belief that their party
should continue to fight over lost issues
and should set itself, through it's declared
| national policy, to the unsettlement of
the prevailing business conditions.
1t would have been much more consist
emit for the Nebraska Democrats to send
delegation to the third party
a%
to take the position which they
have taken. If the doctrines of Popu-
lism and Socialism are to prevail in Ne
braska or elsewhere, It must be through
the agency of a political party which is
willing to ayow them as cardinal tenets
of it's political creed. Democrats. no mat
ter whether or not they have sustained
Mr.. Bryan, and even though they still
maintain their faith in him. will not
consent to ally their party with the nom
descript political mob which is repre-
scented at Kansas City. Free silver may
still remain acceptable to many Demo-
Gratis, but they must abjure their attach
ment to that party before they can con-
sent to any alliance with the party of
Socialism.
The resultant effect on Democratic policy
| in other states of the action of the Ne
braska Democrats will be to strengthen
rather than discourage the movement
within the party, away from the free
silver and other Populistic heresies