The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-22
CLEVELAND THE MAN.
Former President Is Logical
Candidate of ReOrganizers.

if the reorganizers gain control OF the
next national convention2 These are
pertinent questions just now, and while
MI Bryan himself is not answering any
questions bearing directly upon his
course Of conduct in that contingency,
his utterances. both in his newspaper
and in his conversation, indicate very
clearly that unless the nominees and
the platform are to his liking he will
not raise his voice in their behalf. But
Will he take the stump against them or
viii he accept the nomination that the
EOpuliStS stand ready to give him? Ne
braska Democrats are discussing this
question with some interest, but they
have been unable to get any sta tement
from Mr. Bryan other than that it is
idle to discuss what ought to be done in
an emergency that is unlikely to arise.
Mr. Bryan has no record as a bolter
of party platforms or nominees, but in
1888 when he was engaged in a hand TO
hand conflict with the Gold Democrats
of Nebraska, he declared in the conven-
ton that if the Democratic party sane
toned what the gold men, then in con
troll, sought to do he would go out from
the party, even though he went alone.
He was not called upon to make good
at that time, because the gold men fell
fiat in their campaign and the reins of
leadership fell into Bryan's hands.
Who viii be the nominee, in your
opinion. if the reorganizers win out?'
he was asked.
We'll if the reorganizers obtain con-
troll of the party, why should not Mr..
Cleveland be the nominee? If the party
has made a mistake in taking the peO-
pies side and in casting Mr.. Cleveland
aside. why should it not take him up
again il it decides to cast the people
aside? It cannot be doubted that the
leaders of the reOrganizers would prefer
Mr.. Cleveland as the nominee, and IT
must be admitted that he is the logical
candidate; and yet, even though time
shall demonstrate that it is not good
policy to urge Mr. Clevelands candi-
dacy. it may be depended upon that the
candidate agreed upon by the reOrgan-
izers will represent the same influence
and the same policies that dominated
MI CleveIand's second administration
1T IS hardly necessary to engage in
a discussion as to the claims of this
man upon Democratic nomination.
Democrats might be quite willing to
the Democratic party in his second adj |
ministratI0n, Mr. Cleveland deserted |
that party in 1896, and in 1900 gave
whatever power and influence he pos |
sessed to the aid of the Republican
party, but it will Se bit more difficult
for them to forget Mr. Cleveland's I'M |
Democratic record in the White House !
during his second term
1T is urged that the south may be |
depended upon to cast its vote solidly I
for Mr. Cleveland and that the objec- (
lions to him in western states are not I
worthy of considerat ton; it is said that
these states are Republican, and that I
even if million Democrats should OPP I
pose Mr.. Cleveland in hopelessly Re /
publican states. it would make no diff /
ference in the result.
What assurance have these men that 4
they can persuade Democrats even in /
states that are not hopelessly Repubh- /
can to go to the polls and vote for a /
man whose bond deals and other en- /
gagements with Wall street,whose plain /
contempt for the interests of his party /
IL 49, ln.a ~
fare of the country were vigorously de-
nounced by Democrats and Repubh- /
cans alike.
1T is little short of amazing that /
editors and politicians who assume to |
themselves a monopoly on political sa- +
gacity. as well as upon political virtue, +
should close their eyes to the fact that I
in the presence of the great evils under /
which the American people are sufler-
ing. men are studying public questions /
and are CRYING not merely for victory (
for particular party. but are crying
for actual and practical relief
What figure viii the money question /
cute The fight begun in 1896 was not
So much a fight between gold and silver
as a fght between the <beneficiaries Of /
class legislation on the one side ana the /
advocates of equal rights on the other I
and that fieht still continues. 1t would /
be fortunate if that fight only MANS /
Tested itself in the contest between the J
Democratic and Republican parties but /
we might as we'll face the fact that, TO
a lesser degree, it manifests itself IN
The Chicago platform was written
by delegates who We're instructed to
write it. and the Kansas City platform
was written by delegates. almost all o.
whom had been selected by state con-
ventions that Endorsed the Chicago plat
form.
THE Democratic party cannot stand
neutral in the fight that is now being
waged- it must be on the side of de
mOcracy or on the side of DlutOcracy. /
and its position should be determined,
not by the leaders. but by the voters.
If the reorganizers go before the voters
with their policies and plans and Sc
cure the Endorsement of those policies
and plans by a majority of the votes
of the party, they VIII be entitled to tile
platform. the nominees and the organi-
cation but they have never yet at
tempted such thing and are not likely
to. They viii set up conventions ard
practice deception upon the very people
for whom they ask to sneak and upon
whose support they must rely, but they
will not make an honest fight for an
honest purpose"
But can the Kansas City platform
Democrats hope to beat them at this
game2' was the question asked.
Success or failure of the loyal Dem
ocrats depends upon their alertness. It
is safe to say that if delegates are Sc
lected without scrutiny and sent with
out instructions. the moneyed element
Will be stronger in the county conven-
ton than in the precinct; stronger in
the state convention than in the county
convention, and stronger in the national
convention than even in the state con
vention. This is due to the fact that The
mOneyed men are the ones who are most
likely to be selected as delegates, unless
some test is applied in the selection, he
cause the moneyed men are usually
more prominent than those Without
money. and have the time and means
to attend conventions. The mOneyed
men are as a rule, more likely than
those with less money to yield TO the
demands Of organized wealth. and in a
contest where the masses are on che
side and organized wealth upon the 9th
err it is important that the masses of
the party should zealously guard their