The Elk Mountain pilot., 1901-07-16
Mr.. bryan and the Third Party.

party movement started at Kansas
City Mr.. Bryan should not be taken too
seriously. 1t may very well be that
there is mot word of truth in the
premature report that it is organized
to maintain his perennial candidacy for
the office of President, or that he is the
author of its declaration of principles.
This. however, proves nothing as re-
CARDS Mr.. Bryan's future Identification
with this movement, should it become
sufficiently important to warrant him
in assuming its leadership.
What Mr.. Bryan may find it to his
political interest to do now or at some
future time in the matter of party af-
filiations is of much more interest to
the people Of the South than to those of
the North. The present disorganization
Of the Democratic party in the South
is due almost wholly to his insistence
upon the financial and economic here
sizes which he introduced, and which,
under his disastrous leadership, be-
came for the time being Democratic
doctrine. 1t cannot have escaped the
knowledge of Mr.. Bryan that so far as
the South is concerned his continuance
in Democratic leadership, even to the
extent of being permitted to exercise n
strong personal influence in shaping
the party policy or in the selection of
candidates, would render 1t impossible
for the Democratic party to carry more
than two or three southern states on
fair count of ballots cast. Certainly
one-third, and perhaps one-half of the
ballots cast for him in the South in the
last presidential election We're unwill-
ing votes, which he would not have re
ceived If those who cast them had not
felt sure that his election was impossi-
BILE in any event, and that for reasons
wholly independent of his candidacy it
was eNpedient to cast Democratic bal
lots. This condition precludes the idea
of his again becoming n candidate of
the Democratic party, or of retaining
the measure of influence as n leader
give the scope for his restless energies
which these must have. He is used 10
defeat, and probably at no time really
expected to be elected, but he has who'll
ly lost the habit of retirement within
the sphere of private citizenship, and
we imagine he had rather lead for
lorn hope and so keep in the public eye
than disappear from notice and con
tent himself with commonplace life
of modest obscurity.
If the wealth and Intelligence of the
South have any voice in the matter Mr..
Bryan can have no further recogni-
tion as leader of the Democratic party.
1t should not be forgotten, however
that he still has n following in the
South which is numerically strong, and
which IL allied with the Democracy
only because such alliance seemed to
promise it an advantage which 1t has
cy has gained no benefit. That each
should desire separation Is only natu-
raj. Should they drift apart Mr.. Bryan
could gain no advantage from remain
friends and followers, in whose loyalty
resides all the political strength he
ever had. would have left the party
and swarmed by themselves. Consti-
tuted as he is, 1t is scarcely possible
that he could remain n Democrat with
out influence or following when the
Populists and Socialists had taken up
the discarded standard emblazoned
with the shibboleths of his two unsuc-
cessful campaigns and formed n party
to teach and preach them and fight for
them.
1t is not to be expected that so
shrewd a politician as Mr.. Bryan
would be found ostenslbly identified
with the Kansas City movement in its
incipiency. Common prudence would
suggest to him the wisdom Of waiting
until the movement has taken shape
and effected an organization of some
sort But it is inconceivable that he
is not with them in spirit a company
of Populists, Socialists, Communists.
public ownership advocates, single tax
ers, Silver Republicans, cranks, NAL
contents and Bryan Democrats could
not very well unite on any other leader
than Mr. Bryan, and if he is not with
them he will be, should the movement
survive the pangs of birth. for the ex-
cellent reason that by that time he
will have no other place to go, polite
ally. SO far as the South is concerned,
the Democrats are fully reconciled to
the loss of their POpulistic allies. They
brought the party very little strength