The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-31
Com1nofler Comment.
Extracts from w. J. Bryon's Paper
The Organization.

INSTRUMENTATION
After the defeat of 1896 the gold
democrats met and congratulated
themselves upon their part in the re-
publican victory and demanded a re-
organization of thu party. A second
defeat has brought forth another
chorus of criticism and a demand that
The party management be turned over
10 those who for the past four years
nave held themselves aloof from the
organization and spent their time in
condemnation of the policies Endorsed
IN the party platform
Men who have repudiated the party
creed and the party candidates, AMI
yet pride themselves upon their SUI
perlor democracy, urge return tn
what they call the first principles of
democracy. Pressed for some definite
statement of their views they either
eVade the question or resort to lam
il guage too ponderous for the under
standing. Whatever differences OF
opinion may exist concerning the var
lous planks of the Kansas City plat
form, the indisputable fact remains
mat that platform embraces the essen
tlal principles of democracy as taught
/ by all the great leaders of the past
and as accepted by the rank and file.
Many democrats who left the party in
1896 came back in 1900 and were COR
daily welcomed. While not agreeing
TO every policy set forth, they gaze
I hearty support to the democratic can
dldates because they believed that the
platform was sound in it's cardinal
principles.
Exact fulfillment of national pledges
and adherence to the constitution, per-
fect compliance with the spirit of the
Declaration of independence, firm ad-
vocacy of the Monroe doctrine, stern
antagonism to militarism, relentless
opposition to trusts, incorporating
hostility to an unjust dollar and to a
surrender to national banks of the
money issuing functions of the gov
eminent, strong protest against en-
tangling alliance with any other ma
ton, vigorous objection to the plan
OF wasting the peoples money in SUB
sides to few individuals, earnest
appeal for the restoration of popular
government and the principles which
have given life and prosperity to the
natlon-these must represent the fun
damental principles of democracy and
these received the Endorsement of the
convention which met at Kansas City.
There is a marked difference be-
tween the methods employed by the
democrats who believe in the Kansas
City platform and the methods emf.
ployed by those who oppose that plat
form. The former have fixed prin-
clples, state them without ambiguity
and invite judgment upon them; the
latter prate about principles, assume
a "holier than thou" attitude and de-
claim about national honor and party
traditions, but never put their prin-
, clples into concrete form or outline q
plan for dealing with present political
problems. They are against the Kan
sas City platform, but what are they
for? They are against the silver plank,
but what financial policy do they pro-
pose? Do they favor the national
bank note or the greenback? Are they
for an income tax or against it? Do
they favor the popular election Of
senator's, or do they oppose it? What
is their attitude on the question Of
private monopolies? What would
they do with the Philippine islands?
How large an army do they think nee
essary? What do they think of gov.
eminent by injunction?
The party as now organized has
taken a position on these questions
and is ready to defend it. Let the re-
organizers present statement of their
views, equally definite and detailed, SO
that the voters, or the rank and file.
II you please, may act understandingly.
When these self-styled democrats
lief. the party they said that they pre-
ferred principles to success; now they
ask those who remailGd true to the
party to surrender principles in order
to secure success under their leader
ship and they promise success not
Wlthstand1ng the fact that the defeat
of 1894, which came under their lea
dership, was the most disastrous since
1872 and Notwithstanding the further
fact that the ticket which they noml-
mated in 1896 carried but one precinct
in the United States.
Ii any change in the present organ
izatlon is necessary it can be made By
the voters in the regular way and at
the proper time. If in the meantime
any member of the organization dies,
resigns or is replaced the new member
ought to be in harmony with the poo.
pie VINO select him, for, as member
of the organization, he acts in a rep
resentative capacity.
The only way to Insure this har-
mony is to insist that the candidate
shall be frank and candid in making
known his views to those to whom he
appeals
The so-called democrats who voted
the republican ticket showed by SO do
ing that they were nearer to the re-
publican position than they were to
the democratic position. In order to
regain their confidence, they must un-
dergo a change or the democratic par
ty must move over toward the repub-
lican position. AS the organizers have
manifested no change of heart the Of
fort to reorganize might more properly
be called an effort to republicanize the
democratic party. To make the effort
a success the democrats must either
be converted to republican ideas, or
be deceived into the support of men
who wear the livery of democracy, but
lean toward republican doctrines.
900
Rousseau says, There Is in liberty
as in innocence and virtue, satisfac-
tion one only feels in their enjoyment
and a pleasure which can cease only
when they are lost"
e-..a.,- .o-4,,..,l 1;1;~..~