Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-07-20
WILLIAM J. BRYAN
CRlTiCISES THE IOWA DEMO-
CRATIC STATE PLATFORM.
Corporate Democrats in Politics As a Business.
Calls II a Weak Instrument Framed In
Unfairness. The Money Plank Written to
Deceive.

The Iowa democratic convention was
not referred to last week because the
editor OF the Commoner had not secured
the information necessary for an intelli-
gent discussion of the situation. He is
now in position to say that the cOnven-
ton was controlled by the reactionary
elements OF the party and that the refusal
OF the convention to reatiirm the Kansas
City platform was due principally to the
influence exerted by the representatives
OF interpretations, but partly to neglect on
the part OF the friends OF the platform.
The corporation democrats are in
politics as matter of business; they
assume that their salaries cover their
political services and they can attend
conventions at little expense, while the
ordinary democrat must pay his way.
The cost of railroad fare sometimes affects
the selection OF delegates and still more
often affects the number who actually
attend. If, for instance. county har-
monies by sending five corporation
democr ats and ten Kansas City platform
democrats to a state convention and fails
to instruct, the five who can get passes
may 60 and six Of the others may not
feel able to attend. Then the county stands
5 to against the Kansas City platform;
if they are instructed to vote as a unit
the five may by Out voting the four cast
the fifteen votes against reat1irmation.
To this advantage the corporation
democrats add the advantage which they
derive from the fact that they are
INSCRIPTIONS in method. They are
not only willing to betray constituents,
but they consider it smart to deal I'M
fairly with their party associates.
In the recent Iowa convention the dele
gates from Wapello county were chosen
- by convention which Endorsed the
Kansas City platform, but the reorgan-
izers, chosen bv courtesy, were on hand
and in the absence OF some Of the Kansas
City platform democrats cast majority
of the votes OF the county against the
platform. According to the American,
of Creston, Mills county Endorsed the
Kansas City platform, but was mis-
represented in the state convention.
How can an honest platform be ex-
pected from men who deal dishonesty
with their constituents?
The Iowa platform contains many good
planks, but without improving upon the
last national platform in any respect it
cIorc xvharo II JanortC from,
that document.
The plank against imperialism is not
clear. The coupling of Porto Rico with
the Philippine islands leaves it in doubt
whether the sef-government mentioned
is self.government in all Independent
republic, as demanded by the Kansas
City platform, or self. government as a
part of our nation, as few republicans
favor.
Nothing is said in the platform about
arbitration, notwithstanding the in
creasing necessity for some just and
peaceabe settlement Of differences be-
tween labor and capital.
The money plank was written to de-
ceve. 1t has the flavor OF the platforms
written by Wall street representatives
for both the leading parties before 1896
ana Tor the republican party since.
"We insist that Che integrity of the
money OF the nation be guarded with
Jealous care" That looks reasonable
enough, but it will be found on investiga
ton to be intended by its trainers to mean
the gold standard, although not one of
them would dare to ndorse the gold
standard openly in democratic plat
form. Do they think the voters fools and
unable to understand the purpose Of the
iinanciers? OF course the oddities will
sufficient volume OF money, but they
construe that to mean that we already
have too much. The convention deserves
credit for announcing an asset currency
and the Aldrich bill but such a condem.
nation would have no influence on an
official who showed as much contempt
for his platform as some of the delegates
showed for resolutions adopted by their
counties. A man who is afraid to in
dorse blmetallism lest he may offend the
iinanciers cannot be depended upon in
any contest in which organized wealth is
arrayed against the people.
The republicans are now contemplating
the passage OF a bill making some six
hundred millions of silver redeemable in
gold-a more dangerous proposition even
than the Aldrich bill or the assest cur
rency, and yet the Iowa reorganizers did
not have the courage to mention it.
The antitrust plank is not nearly so
strong or explicit as the Kansas City