The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-08
MIR. BRYAN's MIDSUMMER PRoPA-
GANDA.

William J. Bryan is about the only per-
son In the country who is making political
speeches this summer, and he is devoting
himself entirely to trying to prevent the
reorganization of the Democratic party on
old Democratic lines and to personal abuse
OF Mr.. Cleveland. His abuse OF Mr.. Cleve-
land is evidently because he thinks il the
party is r~eorganized as indicated the for
mer President may become its candidate.
His opposition to the reorganization of the
party is because he knows that would be
the end of his political hopes. Reorganiza-
ton OF the party means dissolution of part
nership with the Populists,- which would
leave Mr.. Bryan out in the cold, or at least
compel him to show his hand between the
two parties with a probability of his going
with the Populists. The truth is he was a
Populist before he was a Democrat. and he
became a Democrat for political revenue
only. He has admitted that he voted for
James b. Weaver. Populist candidate for
President I'm 1892, and it is doubtful if he
ever voted for a straight Democratic can
didate for President. His present anxiety
to prevent the reorganization of the Dem
ocratic party is easily accounted for when
it is ember that the bulk Of his vote
for President In 1896 n in 1900 came from
Populists, or from so-called Democrats so
thoroughly imbued with Populism that
they were unable to realize that while call
ing themselves Democrats they were really
Populists at heart.
In his present midsummer propaganda to
prevent the reorganization OF the Demo-
cratic party Mr.. Bryan loses sight of the
fact that the recent action OF the Populists
has rendered reorganization inevitable. He
has conveniently forgotten that the Popu-
lists have anticipated the action of the re-
organizers for the dissolution of the part
nership with them by dissolving it them
selves. The address recently issued by the
two factions of the Peoples party. after
a conference at Denver, shows a complete
fusion on their part and an abandonment
of the Democratic party. The address de-
clared that 1--WE. the Populists of the
. United States, having this day at the city
of Denver united forces with the distinct
uluclS ldlOluS THAT dl past a.
to policy shall be and now are permanently
settled, and experience having demonstrate
ed the futility of any attempt to secure
the enactment of our truth, either through
the Republican or Democratic parties. We
believe the time is now at hand when the
united Peoples party should declare itself
emphatically opposed to any affiliation with
either Of these parties and unqualifiedly in
favor of national political action" AS far
as the Republican party is concerned it has
Populists from the old parties and the
fusion of the two factions. because neither
of the factions has been cooperating with
it. but the Democratic p~arty-that is the
Bryan wing of it-loses it's most powerful
ally and the one which gave Mr.. Bryan
his main support in 1896 and 1900. The with
drawal of the Populists from the Demo-
cratic alliance brought about by the nomi-
nation of Mr.. Bryan in 1896 leaves moth
ing but a remnant of Organism in the DEM
ocratic party and not only necessitates re-
organization but makes 1t comparatively
easy. In the next national convention the
Bryan wing of the party will be as COM
pletely beaten and showed under by the
old line Democracy as the latter was by
| the Populists in the conventions of 1896 and
1900. In fighting the reorganization of the
Democratic party Mr.. Bryan is opposing
a c~onsummation that is inevitable and
already well advanced.