Evening star., 1901-07-19
Bryan Men May Bolt the Democratic
Ticket.
WHAT WAS REALLY REPUDIATED
Masses Believe Free Silver Dead
Issue.
FIGHT FOR LEG 81 A. TU r E


taken on such proportions, nor from pres
ent signs Is it likely to do so.
Cleveland for a variety of reasons, is the
best place in which to study the possibili-
ties of the movement. The city always has
been the home of political isms.
1t is the native-born Americans who are
the most persistent in following the isms.
They switch from greenbackism to free
si1verism. then to single taxism and va
rious other theories. There Is a large and
solid German community, and the fact that
occasionally somebody with a German
name'i is identified with one of these social
istiC or populistic movements should not
lead to the error of supposing that he is
in any way representative of the German
voters The latter during the last few
years have been a buttress of sound money
and conservative political action. There Is
also large Italian element in Cleveland
| The second generation of these Italians is
becoming a strong conservative force and
has a large part in the industrial develop
ment of the city.
What the Democrats Repudiated.
l have been told by many democratic
politicians during the last few days that
Ohio did not repudiate Bryan, but rather
Organism. Others have declared that the
democratic state convention repudiated
both Bryan and Bryanism. They say that
if a convention of "kickers'' be held this
will not be attended by democrats, but by
populists and socialists, who occasionally
| have affiliated with the democrats
A glance at the names of the men who
are prominent in the So-Called revolt sup
ports this claim For a quarter of a CEN
tury or so most of them have been identi-
fled with the Independent, popuist, social
ist, prohibition or greenback movements,
though the democratic leaders are always
glad to take them into camp. In the plat
form which grOuD of the Cleveland lead
ers in the present movement have put
forth, and in which they call themselves
I'VE. Bryan democrats of Ohio" they de-
mand that all public utilities be owned
and operated by the public and that the
initiative and referendum be instituted, in
order that the people may be able to pro-
tect themselves in their political rights.
do not know how far Mr.. Bryan be-
lieves in the ownership of public utilities,
but the initiative and referendum is one
of his favorite doctrines. The proposed re-
volt cannot be based on the reputation of
these propositions by the Ohio democrats,
for the state convention did not repudiate
them. With Mayor Johnson forcing the
Endorsement of his taxation IDEAS into the
prominence party leader the Bryanites
would have reason to complain that
their views these subjects We're not
given. proper consideration.
Free Silver Abandoned.
The real ground of the proposed revolt is
that free silver as a party doctrine has
been definitely abandoned. From some
knowledge of the Ohio democrats, gained
during many campaigns, 1 am satisfied
that this abandonment is complete and
final. The masses of the party DO not feel
unkindly toward Bryan. He still has con-
siderable personal popularity, but the idea
for which he stands is dead, and he never
will be able to rally the Ohio democrats
to his support on that idea.
The of the tired of the
issue and see no prospect of success In
striving to keep it alive. And they want
to succeed. The yearning for success al
ways has been strong with the buckeye
democrats, and on more than one occasion
has caused them to renounce their historic
party principles. But invariably, after pur-
suing heresy for a certain length of time
unsuccessfully, they have abandoned it and
taken up the safer ground Of opposition on
general principles to the positive policies of
the republicans in power.
Thus is the precise condition today. The
Ohio democrats as party have no further
for free silver and if Mr.. Bryan con-
tinGes to champion that issue, they will
have no further use for him.
Coming Convention of Boilers.
There may be convention of Bryan
democrats in Columbus, as planned, which
will have a certain amount of interest.
But it will be small in numbers and prob
ably smaller in influence on the campaign.
While they are in no danger of losing the
state, naturally the republican managers
win be glad to see the movement inaugurat-
ed, for they want much family trouble
as possible among their opponents. But
they will not place any reliance on the re-
volt as a means of electing their own can
didates The democratic leaders, on their
part, in spite of the talk of some of them
that they want the bolt attempted, will put
forth all their efforts toward concilta zion.
What they really want is votes for their
a off md rfltIr lfaar of co latrjcl
ture. Colonel James Kiibourne, the candi-
date for governor, wants to be elected. and
his friends will seek to placate the Bryan
ties with soft words and softer expana-
tiOnS. At the same time they will rejoice
that the milestone of free silver is no
longer around the neck of the party.
Among the politicians it is becoming
debatable question whether Ohio is going
to have any more off years, which enabled
the democrats occasionally to elect their
governor and secure a United States sen
ator. The off years used to come with Lch
regularity that they became q tradition.
But for ten years now this has not been the
case The republicans in spite of factional
struggles within their ranks. have held to-
gether sturdily at the polls, until Ohio has
seemed likely to become as steady Il lepub-
lican state as. Pennsylvania or Massachil-
sets though the majority might not be so
large.
No Break I'm Republican Ranks.
At this stage of the campaign TO signs
visible of a break in the republican
ranks. Prosperity is general, and every
body is content with President McKinley's
administration. The farmers are in fully
as good humor two years ago, when
they rolled up a large majority for George
X. Nash for governor, and the republican
leaders are not diSquieted over any pros
pect of serious labor troubles.
AS an oif-year candidate in ordinary cir
cumstances Colonel Kilbourne would have
many elements of strength. He is of uneX-
ceptionable personal character, a man of
wealth and a popular employer of labor
who himself leans to some of the isms,
though he never was innoculated with
financial heresies. He has all the virtues of
a negative candidate.
II the democrats were permitted to make
a still hunt campaign in gum Shoes Colonel
kilbourne would be the ideal man for the
canvass. But the republicans will not per-
nit this kind of a campaign Under Chair
man Dick they have a most thorough or
ganiZation. Governor Nash has given an
unusually good state administration, but
the issues which will be forced to the front
will be rational ones. The republicans and
| most of the democrats are satisfied with
President McKinley's policy in the Philip
pines and Porto Rico and in Cuba There
fore, these questions will be put forward