Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-10
BRYAN'S EXPLANATION
STATES SOME REASONS FOR THE
DEMOCRATIC RoUT.
Party Took the Conservative Course
Instead Of the Radical-Democ-
racy's Future.

William ]. Bryan, in Lincoln. Neb., last
| night, gave out an extended statement con-
corning Tuesdays election, which is in
| tended to serve as his comment on the re-
suit and as an answer to reports connect
| ing him with movement looking to the
| formation of a new party. Mr.. Bryan said
| he would not attempt to deny all the re-
ports circulated as to his future political
| action, but would let statement serve
| to explain his position. He says:
THE questions for consideration at this
| time are: What lesson does the election
| teach? And what of the future? The de-
feat Of Judge Parker should not be consid-
cred a personal one. He did as well as he
could under the circumstances; he was the
victim of unfavorable conditions and of
mistaken party policy.
Party Too Conserve dive.
'The result was due to me fact that the
democratic party attempted to be conserva-
tive in the presence Of conditions which de-
mand radical remedies. 1t sounded a par
tial retreat, when it should have ordered a
charge all along the line. The republican
party occupies the conservative position
that is it defends those who. having Sc
cured unfair advantage through class legiS-
lation. insist that they shall not be dis
turbed, no matter how oppressive their ex-
actnesS may become.
"The democratic party cannot hope to
compete successfully with the republican
party for this support. To win the support
of the plutOcratic element of the country
the party would have to become more
plutocratic than the republican party and
it could not do this without losing several
times as many votes as that course would
win.
1.-The democratic party has nothing to
gain by catering to organized and predatory
wealth. 1t must not only do without such
support, but it can strengthen itself by in
viting the open and emphatic opposition of
these elements.
1.-The campaign just closed shows that it
is as inexpedient from the standpoint of
policy as it is wrong from the standpoint
Of principle to attempt any Cancellation of
the industrial and financial despots who
are gradually getting control of all the
avenues of wealth. The democratic party,
If it hopes to win success, must take the
side of the plain, common people.
Election Has Opened Eyes.
1.-The election has opened the eyes of
the hundreds of thousands of honest and
well-meaning democrats who few months
ago favored the reorganization of the
party. These men now see that they must
either go into the republican party or join
the democrats of the west and south into
making the democratic party a positive,
aggressive and progressive reform organ
izaton. There is no middle ground"
1.-The party must continue to protest
against large army, against large navy,
and to stand for the independence of the
Filipinos, for Imperialism adds the menace
of mlitariSm to the corrupting influence
of commercialsm, and yet experience has
shown that however righteous the partys
position on this subject, the issue does not
arouse the people as they can be aroused
by question which touches them immedi-
ately and individually. The injustice done
to the Filipinos is not reached it should
be, or as we resent a wrong to ourselves,
and the costliness of Imperialism is hidden
by the statistics and by our indirect sys-
tenn of taxation. While the party must
maintain its position on this subject it
cannot present this as the only issue.
1.-The party must also maintain its posi-
ton on the tariff question. No answer has
been made to the indictment against the
high tariff, and yet here too, the burden
of the tariff system is concealed by the
method in which the taxes are collected.
1t cannot be made the sole issue in a cam
paign
THE party must renew it's demand for
an income tax, to be secured through
constitutional amendment, in order that
wealth may be made to pay its share of the
expenses of the government Today we are
collecting practically all of our revenue
from taxes or articles of consumption, and
these bear heaviest upon the poor and light
upon the rich.
Must Favor Bimetallism.
1.-The party must maintain it's position in
favor OF bfmetalliSm. 1t cannot surrender
it's demand for use of both gold and silver
as the standard money of the country, but
the question must remain in allegiance I'M
til conditions so change to bring the
public again face to face with falling prices
and a rising dollar. This, therefore, can
not be made the controlling issue of the
campaign upon which we are entering.
THE democratic party must make its at
tack upon the trusts SO vehement that no
one will suspect secret aid from them. 1t
will be to its advantage If 1t will begin the
next campaign with an announcement that
no trust contributions will be accepted, and
then prove its sincerity by giving the pub
lie access to its contribution list. In public
enterprises the names of contributors are
generally made public in order to denote
the character and purpose of the work
THE party must continue it's opposition
to national banks of issue and must insist
| upon divorcing the Treasury Department
from Wall street
1.-The party must continue its fight for the
popular election of senators and for direct
legislation wherever the principle can be
applied 1t must not only maintain its
position old issues but it must advance
to the consideration of new questions as
they arise