The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-08
DEMOCRACY OR POPULIsM:

AS lar as the Democratic party Is COLI
cerned the political situation is rapidly
crystallizing into the alternative of de-
mocracy or populism. In the last two
presidential campaigns the Democratic
party was, to all intents and purposes, the
old Populist party revived and acting under
a false label William ]. Bryan was al
ways more of a Populist than he was
Democrat, though more of a demagogue
than either. The Democratic national con-
vention of 1896 was sufficiently permeated
with populism TO make it an easy mark for
a leader who knew how to strike when the
iron was hot, and Mr.. Bryan knew. No
political speech was ever more artfully
timed, phrased and delivered than his cross
of-goId and crown-of-thorns speech that
made him the nominee of the populized
Democratic party. The populstic debauch
continued long enough to enable him to
control the convention of 1900, which did
the surprisingly stultifying act of NOM
mating him again by reclamation.
Now, masqueradng behind William r.
Hearst, Mr.. Bryan is trying for third
time to subordinate the Democratic party
to populism. The combination is doubly
remarkable. One hardly knows whether to
be most surprised that Bryan should take
up such a man as Hearst, or that Hearst
should be willing to be groomed and patron
lied by such a man as Bryan. But blood
is thicker than water and the kinship of
common political heresies brings together
tha
dangerous political leaders of the times.
Hearst is if possible, a more dangerous
political agitator than Bryan because he
represents the most up-to-date elements
of discomfort, class hatred and socialism,
and has great wealth with which to push
his propaganda. He also owns or controls
several newspapers while Bryan only has
one. But if Hearst has more money than
Bryan, Bryan has more brains than Hearst,
and he has also the unconquerable will and
spirit of revenge begotten by two defeats.
1t would have been difficult to make
stronger combination to perpetuate the
populistio debauch of the Democratic
they both seem to have recognized the
fact instinctively.
Will it succeed? Will the advance agent
of populized democracy, the Trainer of
the Kansas City platform with all it's
heresies, and the new apostle of socialism
and millionaire preacher of discomfort
among the masses be able to prostitute the
Democratic party again to the degrading
service of populism and the latest heresies
of Socialism? Their plans are shrewdly
laid. BY consultation with the Populist
leaders they were able to have the date
of the Populist national convention fixed
at Springfield, ILL.,, on July A, while the
Democratic convention meets at st. Louis
on July 6. The two conventions will be
practically at the same time and not far
apart. 1t is understood that after adopt
| ing their platform the Populists will
await the platform and nominations of the
| Democratic convention, with a conveyed
threat that if they are not satisfactory the
Bryan-Hearst element will bolt the ticket
| The latter, it is understood, will not sup
| port any candidate of the Eastern re-
organizers" for the presidency or a plat
/ form in opposition to the Chicago and
Kansas City platforms. They will demand
the nomination by the Democratic conven-
| ton of some man of their class-either
Hearst or a Hearst-Bryan manor they
will have him nominated by the Populist
| convention.
OF course. this is a rule or ruin policy.
1t is a 'hold-up' game on the part of
the Bryan-Hearst combination, which pro-
poses TO say to the Democratic convention.
do as we say We will make Democratic
success impossible" AS far as Bryan is
concerned that has been his position in the
last two campaigns, and as for Hearst he
has no political convictions or principles.
He is simply for Hearst as an end without
regard TO the means of attaining it, To Sc
cure his election as President he would
be perfectly willing To run on a platform
making Mormonism the established re-
ligion in the United States or requiring
] every Immigrant college TO include course