The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-11
A RuLE-oR-RUIN POLITICIAN.


A RULE-OR-RUIN POLITICIAN.
Mr.. Bryan's latest interview is one of
the most bitter he has ever given out. 1t is
notable, also, because he insisted on his
answers to questions being recorded YER
batim as he spoke them. as IL he wanted the
full extent of his bitterness and vindictive-
ness to be known 1t Is surprising that
man who has been twice nominated and
twice defeated for President should persist
In forcing his personality on his party and
insisting on making paramount issues of
doctrines which the people have twice re-
jected and which would stand far less chance
Of success In 1904 than they did four or eight
years ago. Mr.. Bryan Is showing that he be-
longs to the class of Bourbons who learn
nothing and forget nothing. His two de-
feats have not taught him anything, and
his memory harks back to 1896, when Pop
ulism possessed the Democratic party, as
IL nothing had happened since His state
ment that there is not the remotest pos
sibility Of Mr.. Cleveland becoming the nom
inee" Is an expression of opinion to which
he is entitled as well as others, but when
he says that MIR. Cleveland's stanchest
friends would not risk him a candidate
he attributes insincerity and duplicity to
large number Of Democrats of clearer
political pedigree and better standing than
himself. Cleveland Democrats are Of two
classes-first, those who believe that he Is
a typical Democrat and could really be
H. Kilt
that defeat with him as a candidate would
be better than success with any Bryanite,
and that even his nomination would elm
mate Organism from the party and pave
the way for harmony. Both classes are
sincere, and when Mr.. Bryan says Mr..
Clevelands stanchest friends would not risk
him as a candidate he insults the entire
body of them.
What kind Of a Democrat Mr.. Bryan is
may be inferred from his attack on the
sound money anti-Bryan Democratic news
papers Of 1896 and 1900. He names seven of
these, representing the bulk of the Journal
istic brains of the party. and says: This
class Of newspapers can be relied upon to
support any Republican policies the finan-
ciers Of the country are interested in 1t
is high compliment to the Republican
party that its financial policies have, in
the main, been such as to command the
support OF the ablest Democratic newspa-
pers in the country This has been because
those policies have generally stood for
sound finance and conserving the. true bus
mess interests Of the country Mr.. Bryan
says that If such papers as the Chicago
Chronicle. the Nashville American. the
Louisville Courier-Journal the Boston Her
aid. the Philadelphia Ledger, the New York
Times and the Brooklyn Eagle were COM
PEELED to carry the names of the men who
dictate their policies at the top of the edi-
torial pages the people would know that
the supposed editors had little or no voice."
1t is because they did have voice and re-
fused to 1t in support of Organism
that they now receive his tongue lashing.
Mr.. Bryan shows very clearly what kind
Of financial policies he favors. He is a
Populist, and believes that making war on
capital and the gold standard is the cul-
mination of craftsmanship.
The Journal cares nothing about the
Cleveland boom except feature of cur
rent news. If he should be nominated he
will be defeated. as will any other candi-
date the Democrats may put UP. But as an
outsider it may take leave to express
surprise that an alleged statesman of Mr..
Bryan's shady political antecedents and
discredited record should assume. after two
defeats, to dictate the policy of a party
whose political salvation depends on getting
rid of him and his heresies. AS he has
had two trials and failed to win he should
be content to let the other wing of the
party try its luck. His interview shows
fixed purpose to fight the nomination or
election either of Mr.. Cleveland or any
Democrat Of the Cleveland school. He is
rule-or-ruin politician.