The representative., 1901-04-25
wATTERsoN on DESTINY.

WATTERSON ON DESTINY.
In the Commoner of April Mr. Bry-
an, under above caption, criticises Henry
Watterson for indorsing the RepubIfcan
trine ON destiny:
Mr.. Bryan quotes from Watters0n's
Courier Journal, the. following:
God moves IN q mysteYfDus way His Won
deFs to perform. He made the Spanish war.
He was not less behind Dewey In Manila
than He was behind Shafter and Sampson
and Schley at Santiago. What was His all
wise purpose? We know not. But there we
were and there we are; and nothing is sureF
in the future than that we shall be there
century hence unless some power turns up.
strong enough to drive us out Instead.
therefore, of discussing the abstraction OF
Imperialism. illustrated by the rights and
wrongs of the Philippines Mr.. Bryan were
more proftably engaged in considering how
we may best administer possessions which,
for good or evil, are with us to stay.
Mr.. Bryan forgets, or at least is slow
to recognize, that Watterson is lead
ing Democrat of the most solidly Demo-
cratic section of our country. 1t could
during the years of the rebellion be
! truthfully said that as Horace Greeley
thought and wrote so thought the New
England states, and almost the solid
, North. Watterson today holds about
the same relations to the solid South.
Mr.. Bryan is right, and makes his
point strongly when he says Of this doc
trine or destiny:
1T is politically dangerous because 1t
encourages the Republican party to
shirk it's responsibility for it's sins and
shield itself behind the pretense that 1t
is working out the will of the Almighty;
the distinction between right and WRONG
The Republican argument Is built upon
the theory that wrong done upon large
scale loses its evil character and becomes
an integral part of Gods plan."
OF course, all this logic of Mr.. Bryan's
is directly opposed to Watterson's views
; but WattersOn is everywhere and uni
versally recognized as a Democrat No
man of any party can be found who will
deny that Mr. Watterson is a good DEM
. ocrat. Not 50 with Mr.. Bryan; half of
his own party disowns him and thous-
ands Of Populists and some of the So
cialists are ready to claim fellowship
with him.
Bryan's relations to the Democrat par
ty and to the more radical reform ele-
ments in this country are much the
same on other political issues.
Bryan's strongest sympathizers are
not Democrats. They are such men
as Charlie Towne, Willis j. Abbott,
Mayor Jones, Tom Johnson, Prof Her.
ron and hundreds of strong men who are
so radical that they long ago repudiated
the Democratic party. Mr.. Bryan may
be in advance of his party, but he can
never be far in advance till he cuts loose
from such men as Watterson, Croker,
German, Stone and Hill, and that ele-
ment which today is generally regarded
as typical of the party
Mr.. Bryan will find it much shorter
cut to reform to cut loose from those
fellows, rather than attempt to criticise
and reform them. Better throw away a
bad egg. it can never be made good
Bryan's next lesson should be to learn
that he is in bad company, and should
take hasty action to get out of it. He
denounces Republican leaders and is
panied to see Watterson and nearly all
the great Democratic dailies and leaders
indorse them and their policies. What
a position for Bryan to occupy and ex-
pect reformers to indorse him!
The Democratic party will drag Bry-
an down before he can ever raise the
Democratic party up.