The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-07-14
THE OHIO CONVENTION.

walking upon the portrait of Mr.. Bry-
an in the excitement of the State
Convention, as indicative of the
sentiment of the Democracy of Ohio,
ought now to make apologies, since
it has turned out that none OF
the marchers knew of it until they
saw it printed in the papers next morn
ing. 1t was inconceivable that the mil
liant Democracy of Ohio embracing
much of the best element of the Buck
eyes population, could be guilty of the
vandalism and indecency with which
they We're charged. They may not agree
with some of his views on public ques-
tions, but Ohio Democrats are not hood
lums. and none but hoodlums would
ported the Ohio Democrats had offered
to Mr.. Bryan There is not Repub
lican. Democrat Populist or Prohibi-
ZIONIST who does not honor the charac-
ter, courage ability and consistency of
the eloquent Nebraskan.
1t develops that the Ohio Democracy
deemed it wise and prudent not to make
any reference whatever to the Kansas
City platform, and most of Mr.. Bryan's
warmest friends held that opinion.
A few of his friends insisted upon
affirmation of the Kansas City plat
form, and they were defeated. This
does not mean that the Democra-
cy of Ohio repudiate that plat
form, but that they recognize that
the silver question is not an issue this
year. 1t does not mean anything else,
and nothing else can be made out OF 1t.
There were present men who left the
party in 1896 and 1900 and they were
made welcome. They did not ask the
men who voted for Bryan in 1896 or in
1900 to stultify themselves and the re-
turning Democrats were not required
to believe in past declarations. They all
came together on a platform that will
be endorsed by Democrats who stand
We printed yesterday the declaration
on Imperialism 1t is in line with the
Bacon resolution and the published
views of Bryan, Cleveland, Hill and
the Kansas City platform. 1t declared
against subsidies, in favor of the old
time Democratic tariff, using this Ian
guage: I'VE demand the suppression of
all trusts and a return to industrial
freedom. AS a means to that end, all
trust products should be placed on the
free list and the Government should
exercise a more rigid supervision of
transportation lines and abolish in fact
all discrimination in rates.
The plank on taxation, relating to
State policy, ought to be copied by
other States where corporations, by
.. means of political manipulation, escape
taxation. We quote:
"The acceptance of passes or favors
from railroads by public officers or en-
ployes shall be made adequate grounds
for vacating the offices held by them.
"All public service corporations shall
be required by law to make sworn
public reports and the power and duty
of visitation and public report shall be
conferred upon the proper State and
local auditing officers to the end that
true value of privileges held by these
corporations shall be made plain to the
people.
HSteam and electric railroads and 9TH
er corporations possessing public fran
chises shall be assessed in the same
proportion to their saleable value as are
farms and city real estate.
1.-The proceedings of the Republican
majority of the State Board Of Equali-
cation was a scandal. Property values,
instead of being equalized, were in
creased or diminished at the will OF
political bosses and conspirators."
These declarations ring clear and
show that the Ohio Democracy, so far
from surrendering to the domination of
So callad Commercial Democrats" ex-
pose their thinly-veiled Radicalism,
and pronounce against imperialism,
against subsidies, against protection
and against escape of quasi-public cor
porations from just taxation-the four
things that make up the main policy
for which McLaurin and his supporters
and apologists stand
The lesson of the Ohio platform ought
not to be lost. 1t teaches that the
time has come when all divisions among
Democrats must end. 1t recognizes
that the silver question is not a live
question in the public mind today. 1t
calls for united action on the part OF
all men who believe in the fundamental
doctrine of the Democratic party, no
matter what have been the differences
of the past But it does not apologize
for the party's open and manly fight
in 1896 and 1900 or concede that it was
wrong 1t demands opposition to pro-
lection. subsidies and all manner OF
special privileges so clearly set out in
Not