The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-24
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS.

John W. Kern comes now as the author
of an interesting and remarkable political
screed-almost as remarkable, in fact as
the medium he has adopted in giving it to
the public. The Liberty Express, a new
Democratic paper at Liberty, Ind, made it's
appearance last week and on the front page
of the initial issue. displayed under fiaring
headlines appears the Kern pronunciamento
entitled 1.-THE Present Duty of Democrats"
There are three important features of
the article-first, in sentiment and tone it
approves unqualifiedly all that William j.
Bryan has been saying about the ''reorgani-
zers'' in general and Grover Cleveland in
particular; second, it is the bugle call for
the fight in Indiana between the ''reorgani-
zers'' and the Bryanites, or regulars" and,
third, it states positively and definitely that
Bryan is not and will not be a candidate
for the Democratic presidential nomination
next year. On this latter point ii may be
taken that Mr. Kern speaks authoritatively
for he and Mr. Bryan are the closest per-
sonal and political friends and have seen
much of each other during the past two
months.
Mr.. Kern charges that the ''reorganizers"
are conducting their campaign Tor the con-
troll of Indiana Democracy from headquar-
tiers here in indianapolis, that they col
lecting money from local sources and are
receiving money from the East to be used
they seek to send delegation from In
diana TO the next national convention of the
Democrats to assist in the nomination of a
candidate and the adoption of a platform
dictated by the financial pirates and blood
suckers of Wall street. Verify, it is an in
teresting screed Mr.. Kern has issued.
XXX
A political party to win success should de-
serve it, says Mr.. Kern, as a starter, and
after announcing this truism he proceeds
to ascribe the defeat of the Democratic
party in the last two national campaigns to
the "apostacy and treachery' of the Cleve-
land administration. After the party had
been betrayed by Cleveland. he says, the
Democratic masses in 1896 took charge of
the party primaries and conventions. Office
holders and politicians were swept aside as
straws before hurricane by the earnest
and conscientious Democrats of the Nation,
who were determined that the Democratic
party should stand for the rights and inter-
ests of the common people and should re-
turn to the ways OF common honesty The
Chicago convention assembled and gave ex-
preston to the genuine Democratic senti-
ment of the country. But the corporations.
banks and combines succeeded in thwart-
Kern, and the same thing was repeated in
1890. He charges that the pirates and
traitors of 1896, who Endorsed the apostacy
of Cleveland and the treachey of German,
lev" are now active in their efforts to cap
ture the organization of the party. TO the
|. end that the next national convention may
repudiate the platform of 1900 and adopt a
platform that will be void of offense to the
bankers, syndicates, combines and trusts.
MIR. Kern now warns up to his subject
and says:
I'm their published interviews these gem
| tlemen are under the pretense of pleading
| for harmony, advocating base surrender
of every vital principle contended for in tn,
| last two national campaigns. One of them
suggests that we must modify our declara-
| tions on the tariff question SO as 10 concil.
| late the beneficiaries of the tariff robbery
another declares that we must utter no pro
| test against the gold standard lest We of
| fend the magnates of Wall street: thirt
| insists that we should not assail the trust:
/ too vigorously for fear we may net be- abl,
| to touch the Democratic CD trus0 official.
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