The Sunday globe., 1901-07-21
SUNDAY, JULY 2l, 1901.
MIR. BRYAN AND THE ONO PLAT
FORM.

We stand second to none Of Mr..
Bryans most enthusiastic admirers in
a full appreciation of his integrity and
ability. He is a splendid type of Amer
lean manhood and high intelligence.
Even Republicans are proud Of his SUI
perior talents and incorruptble prin-
ciples He is one man whom millions
of his countrymen firmly belieye-and
the writer is proud to be reckoned in
the number-who would rather be
right than be President" Bat Mr..
Bryan is not a politician, although he
undoubtedly is a broad thinker and a
superb statesman. He would adorn the
Presidency and mark an epoch in his
country's history as Secretary Of State
or in any other Cabinet position He
is a natural leader of men and a typi-
cal head of a party-in power. He Is,
however, too honestly impolitic TO win
victory for the minority His is not
the genius to displace constituted
power or wrest the Government from
the hands Of a party entrenched be-
hind the spoils Of Office and guarded by
the richest plutocracy in the world.
Mr.. Bryan is a dramatic star who,
with a single plsnge, dived into the
hearts. convictions and enthusiastic ap-
proyal Of millions Of his countrymen.
Until the hour Of his death he will be
their idol, but no more than Webster,
Clay or Blaine will he ever achieve
the Presidency. He is not a politician.
His criticisms of the Ohio platform en-
phasizes that fact. and nobody but a
politician can ever become President
of the United States or lead his party
TO victory. We had but two such men,
and they earned the high office on the
field of battle-Washington and Grant,
the one credited with securing our lib
critics and the other with preserving
them. Jackson was soldier, politician
and statesman Bryan is only the lat.
ter; like Webster, Clay and Blaine,
Dir. Bryan petulantly asks why did
not the Ohio Democracy declare for
the gold standard, since they ignored
the Chicago and Kansas City plat.
forms? The politician finds no trouble
in answering what Mr. Bryan's states
manship conceives 10 be an unanswer-
able reproach. And if Mr.. Bryan had
fought and won his way up through
the grades which stars in the dramatic
as we'll as in the profession Of politics
have to climb, he would never have
asked the question.
1t is an axiom in politics that super.
fuous declaration or plank in a plat
form is impolitic. Why should the
Ohio Democracy handicap itself with
declaration as unnecessary as it is i'm.
polite? And why should it, on the
other hand, reafirm the Kansas City
platform? Are not platforms made at
each National and State Convention?
What is there so sacred. superior or
successful about the Kansas City plat
form that for all future time the Do.
mocracy Of the State and nation must
be reduced at their conventions TO the
perfuntory labor only Of reatfirming
this miraculous creation.
why did not the Democracy Of Ohio
reafirm the national platforms Of the
party previous TO the Chicago and Kan.
sas City platforms? Were they not
Democratic? The fundamental princi-
ples OF all Democratic platforms we're
reafirmed by the Ohio Democracy be.
cause the fundamental principles Of
Democracy never change and are eter-
nal But the issues raised by Jackson
as those raised by Bryan, very properly
had no place in a State platform, ana
would be as incongruous as the issues
which split the Democracy in 1860 and
resulted in two conventions, a bloody
war and a Republican President
Mr. Bryan does not claim, for IT,
would be presumpuous, that he alone
originated and is solely interested in
the silver movement IT, is no more
his than the ulllApus vl b'HIODId aus
who endorsed and voted for that issue,
Where. then, does his particular as,
sumption lie to blow hot and cold on
the Ohio Democracy because in their
Judgment, it was good politics TO drop
this issue, as the platforms Of Chicago
and Kansas City dropped issues raised
by the NortherH ans Southern Democ
racy in 1860?
Does Mr.. Bryan claim an inherent
right TO reproach Officially the Democ.
racy Of any State which chooses to re-
affirm the fundamental principles Of
tho Democratic party and drop ignore
or eliminate certain issues raised In
the Chicago and Kansas City plat
forms2 No Democratic leader from
the foundation Of the Government has
ever assumed such privilege or right
II is Dictatorship pure, simple and un-
defled. No politician would be guilty
Of such assumption, which again en-