The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-25
MIR. BRYAN's HARMONY SPEECH.

MR. BRYAN'S HARMONY SPEECH.
It is evident from the speech which
/ Mr. Bryan delivered at the dinner of
! the New England Democratic League
yesterday that he does not sympathize
with the effort that is being made to
bring bout harmony in the Democratic
| party. He does not believe il is posi-
bic to bring the two factions-groups
as he calls them-together, because
there is nothing in common between
| them. According to his view those
Democrats who left the Democratic
party in 1896 and 1900 may be divided
into two classes, namely. those who
understood the real nature of the is
sues that were presented and those who
didn't. Those who did can't get back
into the party without injuring it I'M
til they become converted to Demo-
| cratic doctrines, and it may take a
long time to convert them. Those
who didn't will get back into the party
just as soon as they understand the
real character of the life and death
struggle that is being waged between
plutocracy and Democracy.
According to Mr.. Bryan there can be
only two parties in the country, one
representative of plutocracy and the
other of Democracy, the Republican
party of course being the representa-
tive of plutocracy. The Republican
party is the party of wealth and
greed. the Democratic party the party
of the people. The Republican party
is dominated by the minority of its
members, the majority being deceived
and misled. 1t is the opinion of Mr..
Bryan that the sympathies of the great
majority of the Republican party are
with the Democratic party. 1t ought
therefore to be the aim of the Demo-
cratic party to open the eyes of the
majority of the Republican party to
the real issues between the two par
ties-to build up the Democratic party
with recruits from the Republican par
ty. Mr.. Bryan thinks thousands of
Republicans in all parts of the coun-
try are now wavering in their a!legi-
ance to their party.
Evidently he does not desire the re-
turn to the Democratic party of those
and who understood the character of
the issues between the two parties at
that time, because they would injure
1t. He doesn't want them unless their
political sympathies undergo a radi-
cal change. He does not believe in
building up the party by means like
those employed by the Republican
party. 1t would be a mistake, " his
opinion, to follow in the footsteps of
that party. to accept as its LEADERS, men
who are known to be plutocrats at
heart. To make a powerful party, a
successful party, the leaders and the
rank and file must be in the heartiest
sympathy.
And the party must have principles
and purpose, and those must be ad-
hered to, even though defeat follows
defeat. Victory will come eventually
if the principles are based upon truth.
1t is clear that the chief purpose of
Mr. Bryan's speech was to block the
efforts of Mr.. Cleveland, Mr.. Hill and
others to bring about harmony in the
ranks of the Democracy. If he had
said that MIR. Cleveland and Mr.. Hill
were in sympathy with plutocracy, and
wanted to lead the Democratic party
along lines approved by plutocrats, he
would not have made his meaning more
clear than he did.
We do not question Mr.. Bryan's sin
cerity, but there is ground for saying
that he has permitted his hostility to
the Democrats who did not lend him
helping hand in his two campaigns
to influence his judgment to such an
extent that he would rather see the
party suffer another defeat than be
victorious under the leadership of men
who did not sympathize fully with the
Kansas City platform. AS to that
platform it is apparent from what he
said yesterday that he intends to use
all of his influence to have it reaffirm-
ed by the next Democratic national
convention. Unless all signs fail he
will be disappointed.