The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-07-20

whelming. vote. TO give its endorsement
to the heresles of the Chicago and Kan
sas City platform. and It's rejection of
a motion of endorsement of MIR. Bryan
In past campaigns the factions now
represented by johnson and Mclean
have been enthusiastic supporters of
Mr.. Bryan, and this summary and en-
phatic rejection of the late leader in
the house of his friends shows the trend
of Democratic thought throughout Ohio
and the nation. The most favorable
opportunity which has ever been pre-
sented to the party to get together and
compose all differences. was offered at
the Kansas City convention. The
great heart of the Democracy through.
out the nation palpitated with anxiety
while watching the Deliberations of that
great convention, and these same hearts
in multiplied thousands OF bosoms sank
like lead at the final result. With the
imperiousness of Central American
dictator Mr.. Bryan tranpled upon the
only hope of harmony and of victory
when he foolishly demanded reaifirm-
alton of the Chicago platform; and
every conservative Democrat through
out the nation recognized that the
party had sacrificed success at the polls
in order to crafty the insane whlms of
| the dictator.
Thh rest of the story need not be told
here. further than to say that William
Jennings Bryan and his ambition were
! at that time. and are yet, the sole OBJ
stacles in the path of Democratic unity
| and Democratic success. The States is
perfectly aware that in saying this il is
touching an exceedingly raw spot in
! many quarters. There are many
thousands;of Democrats whose ardent
acceptance of the Chicago morstrosity
in 1896 makes it an exceedingly pain
full task to them to acknowledge what
their Utmost hearts tell them was an
error; and many of these will not
readily forgive the faithful physician
even though his laying bare of the
diseased part means to heal 1t. But
because the patient may vince and
even writhe the surgeon must not delay
his necessary duty, because the healing
of the nation depends upon the eff
cheney of bis operation. The Ohio con-
ventions have heretofore been among
the widest protagonists of the ignus
fatui in economics proclaimed to the
world oy the Chicago convention of
1896. Its deliberate action of yester-
day refusing TO again assume respon-
sibility for keeping alive the mistakes
of the past is the most significant SYM
tom of the pronounced change of the
tide of Democratic sentiment that has
yet occurred.
Mr. Bryan has had his opportunity
and Re has signally failed to rise to the
situation in great crisis. Twice have
the Democrats of the United States
followed his banners which brought
defeat to all and humiliation to many
thousands, who rejecting his vagaries,
still chung to their dismantled party
out of mere loyalty to its ancient and
eternal principles. No loftier exhibit
ton of loyalty and devotion to party
has ever been seen. than was furnished
by the many thousands OF Democrats,
good and true, who IN every State fol-
lowed, sadly mayhap, but nevertheless
they followed Loyalty, leader whose
hands had smashed the idols of the
party, whose influence had substituted
the ancient principles and traditions of
the Democracy with the fads and vaga-
ries of the Commune, and whose per-
sonal tyranny was A constant hunilia-
ton to them. And they followed him
through two desperate campaigns of
folly and madness down TO what they
knew to be foreordained defeat, simply
because the supreme authority of the
party in moment of frenzy had placed
the banners of the party in his hands.
They went down to annihilation as
bravely as the Cameronians of Scot
land, or the Christians a Rome. bowed
their heads to. the blade of the bloody
executioner; they submitted with pa
thence to the personal despotism which
swayed and dominated their party un-
til patience was no longer virtue and
submission became slavery. The la
test edict that went forth from Lincoln
commanding obedience to the will of
the despot. was not just what men who
had disinterestedly followed leader
had right to expect, and it is not sur
prlsing that it should have brought re-
sentfuiness into the hearts of many who
naturally feel that Mr.. Bryan owes the
Democratic party vast deal more than
tie Democratic party owes Mr.. Bryan
The great masses do not concede the
right of any one man 10 do the thinking
for the whole body of the party. and
more particularly when. as in the pres
ent instance, the result of this one
man power has been already 50 disas-
trous to the party. For five years the
Democratic party and the. Democratic |
masses have served Mr.. Bryan, and
they have done SO faithfully and as few
men before him have been served. |
The time has now arrived when there |
must be reversal of this relationship, !
and Mr.. Bryan must serve the party.
And while this is the case there is no |
occasion for harshness in Judging the
late leader. What he is. and what he
has done, are simply the results of the
work of the ID emocratic party itself |
Mr.. Bryan is simply the crystalization !
OF the wild spirit which dominated the
convention of 1896. They wanted
such man to lead the motely host that
rallied around the banner with q
strange device which that convention
erected in its camp. and 10! they found
a man ready made to their taste. He
made as much Of that campaign as
mortal man could have made out of
such incongruous factors He was EN-
phatically the product of that strange
period OF political dementia and mad
ness which eliminated in the Chicago
convention and its desperate challenge