The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-20
Mr.. Brvai1's leadership.

Whatever other people may think Oh
hin, Mr. Erynn certainly regards himself
as tho great leader Of the Democratic
party III the United States. Nheh ne ne
snenks, It Is ,'cx cathedrn, land his state
mcnts arc final lie has from time TO
time accommodated certain objection
able gold Democrats from the party, ana
hns, witt, equal freedom and confidence,
received into his bosom, and, therefore,
Into full Fellowship as Democrats Of good
standing, Populists Of all walks and con-
versations The humber members of the
Democratic party cannot safely express
mn opinion Of what the policy and prin-
ciplo Of the party should be until they
have first learned what the opinion OF
Mr.. Bryan on the subject is
We have 1efrained from any criticism
of the exalted attitude assumed by
Mr. Bryan in Democratic coun-
ellis because of the great cs-
tecm IN which he was held by those who
so faithfully followed him In 1896 and
again-but with less cnthusiasn1A-tn 1900
| It would DO as useless and tlnfrcndly
| 10 critlcise the wisdom md philanthropy
OF John Brown to militant nbolltionists
as to question tho sound states
manship, patriotism, self-denying quail
tiles and Democracy Of William Jennings
Bryan with the unconvertcd believer IN
FREQ silver and poprllsm. 1t would be.
therefore, most unwise In q. paper like
this, that Is earnestly desiring the reunion
OF all Democra Is, to ALLEVIATE any mem
bors Of the party by criticism of their
u,landom hero. It docs seem. however.
that tho limits Of such forbearance have
been well.nigh reached, when Mr.. Bryan,
at tho dollar dinner. in Lincoln Neb..
on Monday might, told seven hundred
Democrats that the Kansas City plat
form is sound in every plank, and that tho
first act OF the next Democratic Conven-
ton should be to rcatlirm It in its en-
tiroty," and to his own rhetorical inter-
rogative .'Shall we abandon our ndvo-
| cacy OF bi-n,etalllsm In order to concl-
late those who defeated the party In
other campaigns?" he replied: t"Never!''
Making due allowance for the exciting
| surrounding of seven hundred admlring
| auditors and for the effect OH his auto
! cratic character of his recent conferences
| with the Car and the Pope. and the IN
cense Of adulation which nulnberless en-
| tertainments In monarchial Europe watt
ed to his distinguished presence, 1t is
hard to explain the excess, &c invincibe
| folly which such a statement as that
above implies, except that Mr., Bryan
has entirely lost his bearings, and is Out
Of sympathy with the majority Of the
| Democratic party In tho United States
He seems saturated with that feeling
l which has for ages been the characteristic
or desperate politicians, that If they can
not rule, they much prefer to ruin. II
1 would be a more qualification to under
take to show how proposterous are these
demands of Mr.. Bryan.
With Mr. BrSan's views on tho tarf
we have been In sympathy ever since hi
most effective speech, made In the Hous'
Of Representatives in the discussion
tho Wilson bill in 1901. For his denullci
! 1890
we have nothing but praise. We regre
that he omitted any reference to til
greatest source of corruption In this o
any other Countrywide pension laws-an
that lie failed to refer to the propositio
to still further enlarge that inquiry
When, however, he comes to stake tn
success OF the Democratic party upon tn
stern exclusion Of all whom he term
trust magnatcs," and courts their or
,. position and plants tho party again upo
FREQ silver. 1t is not too much to say tina
passion and prejudice and Infinite want
have SO warped his reason and have $
blinded his eyes to the inexorahle logic
e,tnts, that his dcliyeranccs should
only regarded as objects OF curiosit!
without force or influence.
Observation-Disclosures -
( Cleveland Sentiment.
! sever;n days ago, tho Boston Glob