Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-08-01
Vim. J. Bryan Explains His Harmony Plan

themselves become aware of the real
character of the life and death strug.
gle now being waged between plutocra.
cy and Democracy. ! say plutocracy
because the aristocracy OF today Is one
Of wealth rather than Of birth, and II
includes not only those who have been
alienated from the common people by
the possession Of great wealth, but
those who, although without wealth,
pander to II and measure all things by
money standard. Organized wealth
has become SO potent in governmental
affairs that some even now despair OF
applying any effective remedy. But
such underestimate the patriotism of
the people and the strength of the pub.
lie conscience. The people have a
remedy within their power namely,
the ballot, and with 1t they can and
will right every wrong and remedy ev.
, cry grievance.
A Controlling Purpose.
The Democratic party must have a
controlling purpose, unchanged by vic.
tory or defeat; II must stand for that
purpose at all times and everywhere
'unmoved by threats of disaster and un.
influenced by promise or temporary
gain. 1t must have a character, for
character, is as essential in party as
II is in an individual. No one will trust
an unstable man or one so without
principle that his position upon any
moral question cannot be guessed in
advance.
Issues Are Doubtful.
I'VE cannot tell what issues we may
have to meet; we can only determine
to meet them in a democratic spirit,
to apply to them democratic principles
and to take the peoples side always
In 1892 the paramount issue was tarifi
reform, and the Democratic party bold
ly asserted its demand for a tariff loI
revenue only. II fought the campaign
and 1t won, but its majority was so mar
row that few Senators, disloyal to
the party on this subject, defeated the
verdict Of the people rendered at the
polls. But the failure of the party to
do all that II promised would not have
been so disastrous but for the fact that
the Wilson bill, unsatisfactory as II
was to tariff reformers, had to bear the
sins OF Republican financial system
which was supported by our Admins
tration against the protest of an over
uhalnipu mn fnrfty ,Nf ha ,.f h
party. The defeat of 1894 was more
disastrous than any that the party has
experienced since, and II was due to
the fact that the Administration de
serted the people on the money ques
' ton. In 1896 the money question was
forged to the front, made paramount
not by the action Of the majority of the
Democratic party, but by the attempt
OF minority of the party to aid the
Republican party to chain tie country
to an approaching dollar. Without
abandoning its position on the tariff
question, the party met this issue and
took the side of the people. In spite
: Of the desertion Of many formerly con.
spicuous in its councils, the Democrat.
, ic party polled a million more votes
than it had ever polled before. and
would nave won but for the indefen.
sible methods OF the Republican party,
whose leaders hold all the protection.
4, list Republicans by declaring the tariff
issue to be paramount. Modified the
wrath OF most OF the free silver Re.
publicans by promising international
bimetallism. and won all the advo.
Gates OF the gold standard by reveal.
ing to them the secret purpose of the
party to adopt European financial
system. But even then we would have
won but for the fact that borrowers
were coerced and employees intimidat.
ed.