Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-25
IN SEARCH OF A PLATFORM.
DISTRESSING Dilemma I'm which the
Democratic Party Finds Itself.
milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Distressing Dilemma I'm which the
Democratic Party Finds Itself.
Milwaukee Wisconsin.
David Bennett Hills celebrated declara-
tion. II am a democrat" is a definition that
needs defining. Almost any half-dozen Of
democrats Of national reputation, selected
at random, and asked to say what a demo
crat is, would give half q dozen radically
different replies.
William Jennings Bryan is now on his
way to Boston, where he will speak at q
banquet to be given next Thursday night
by the New England Democratic league
His subject will be The Basis Of Har-
mony" and It Is an open secret that he
will sail into the speech which ex-President
Cleveland addressed to the democrats Of
the Tilden club at New York a few weeks
ago. Meanwhile another well known demo-
crat, Henry W. Watterson, Is freely u~ttering
his mind from time to time in the columns
Of the Louisville Courier-Journal From
his standpoint, neither Cleveland nor Bryan
can be relied upon to truly state the facts
as to what democracy is, or to frame a
policy for the party in the next national
campaign.
The democrats are split on the none
question and on the question Of Imperialism,
so-called. In regard to the trust issue, the
administration OF President Roosevelt, using
the weapon Of the Sherman law, long age
supplied for such emergencies by repub-
ncan statesmanship, is challenging the mea'
trust and the railroad trust TO show cause
| why they should not be punished wher
\ they disregard the laws plain mandate Of
THUS far shalt thou go and no further.
| What chance will the democratic party
have to make an issue against the repub-
lican party on the subject Of trustsf
There is only one thing which the demo
cratic party II restored to power could
be depended upon to do and tina is u
play hob with the tariff, thereby playing
hob with American industrial prosperity
It's laundering, misunderstanding propensitiet
are 30 we'll known that the people will
| give It no chance to exercise them. The
discussion Of What is a democratr" Il
likely to hold the boards" for some time
The most recent contribution to the sub
iect IL a letter Of learned length and
laundering sound addressed by ex-senator
William F. villas to A. f. Warden, chair-
| man of the democratic state central com
mittee. In four newspaper columns OF me
type the ponderous ex, senator gives a pass
ing glance to other topics, but concentrates
/ his powers TOT an dtthCh uPOh a. $500
It was by an assault upon the protective
| tariff, in which Senator Villas led, that the
democratic party succeeded in carrying
Wisconsin for Grover Cleveland In 1897
and now, ten years later. remembering his
former success, but forgetting what fol-
lowed It. the ex-senator comes confidently
forward to repeat his old play. But the
people have q very keen recollection OF the
consequences tina they brought upon the
country and themselves by accepting the
political leadership Of William F. villas In
1892. Like a nightmare there rises BEFORE
them a vision OF smokeless chimneys and
closed factories and broken banks, OF un
employed workmen and starving women and
children, Of free soup houses, where sucf
as had previously been too prosperous anc
too proud to think of accepting aims. Wer'
clad 70 take from the hand Of charity wha'
was required to stay the gnawing OF hunger
That Is the grewsome picture which rises
before the minds eye when an Intelligent
w~orkinEman listens to the voice Of ex'
Senator villas assailing the American pro
tective tariff. The policy for which Villa
and Cleveland stand has been tried anC
found wanting. II the democratic part!
wants to attract votes It must put into It'd
platform something more alluring than that