The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-07-25
BRYANIsM AND DEMOCRACY.

MI. ~ a.. ID oil mas uGIIlSu d uEIlO-
Graf in terms which limit democracy to
Organism and makes Organism democ-
racy; in other words, nobody is a demo-
crat unless he endorses and believes in
the principles laid down by Mr.. Bryan.
Here is what he says:
81 am anxious to see the party grow
in numbers and in strength, but It is alb
surd to expect his result to follow an
attempt on the part Of desefterS to turn
the party over to the control of those
who find the society OF republicans
more congenia1 thar the society OF those
who believe in the platforms adopted in
1896 and 1900"
According to Mr.. Bryan no man in
this year of grace 1902 is a democrat
unless he believes in the platforms of
the party adopted in 1896 and in 1900.
To be a democrat you must continue to
uphold every principle set forth in both
Of those platforms. If you think the
changed conditions of our country or
of its relations with foreign nations
ave made any of those planks nuga-
tory or no longer ~expedient, but that
recent events have raised issues of
greater Importance to the people, you,
according to Mr.. Bryan, are no longer
a democrat, but a deserter of you
party.
h financial plank in the platform
of the democratic national convention
of 1900 is as follows:
W reaffirm and endorse the princi-
pies of the national democratic platform
adopted at Chicago in 1896, and We re-
ifnrqta the 6aman6 nf that nldffOTm for
an American financial system made by
American people for themselves, which
shall restore a bimetalic price level, and
as q part of such system the immedi-
ate restoration of the free n unlimited
coinage of silver and gold at the pres
sent legal ratio of sixteen to one, with
out waiting for the aid or consent of
any other nation"
What proportion of the men who
voted for Mr.. Bryan at the election in
1896 and in 1900 does he suppose at this
day endorse the above declaration as
applicable to the present time?
Does not Mr.. Bryan know that a
great many of the men who voted for
him on those occasions and who would
now IikestO see the free silver establish
ed, Yet are opposed to ~embodying such
declaration in the democratic articles
of faith? 1t is recognized as a dead is
sue by it's strongest advocates. How
then can it be a test of party fealty?
According to Mr.. Bryan's standard
OF measurement how many of those
delegates 20 our recent state convention
who voted against the minority report
on the platform are democrats? Not
one of the speakers who opposed the
minority report on the financial plank
in the platform would come up to his
standard, for not a single one of them
declared himself in favor of demanding
the immediate restoration of free and
unlimited coinage of silver and gold"
They all declared it a dead issue,
though some said they still favored the,
principle. The minority report was OPP
posed by the speakers and voted down
by h delegates because they thought
it ineXpedient to take any action hav-
ing the appearance of repudiating any
plank of the national platform SO long
as it remained the platform of the par
ty; and very urgent appeals on the
part OF the speakers were necessary to
secure this action. But for this appeal
and the reason urged by the speakers
the minority report would have been
adopted, and the entire democracy of
North Carolina would. under Mr.. Bry-
ans definition of a democrat, have
found themselves outside of the party
and classed as deserters.
If the democratic nominees are to re-
ceive the votes this fall of only such
men as believe in the party now de-
manding of our government the imme-
date restoration of the free and un-
limited courage of gold and silver at the
ratio of sixteen to one a mighty few
democrats will be elected.
There are thousands upon thousands
of men in the democratic party today
who disagree with Mr.. Bryan on this
question. but still are as loyal demo-
Gratis as he and will stand by the party
unless they are forced out of it by Mr..
Bryan and his faction.