The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-11-12

"lel the hepuDllcan party for this
support. To win the support Of the
plutocratic element Of the country the
party would have to become more plu-
tocratic than the Republican party
and it could not do this without los
ing several times us many votes az
that course would win.
"The Democratic party has nothing
to gain by catering to organized and
predatory wealth. 1t must not only do
without such support but it must
strengthen itself by inviting the open
and emphatic opposition of these ele-
mcnts. The campaign just closed
shows that it is inexpedient from the
standpoint Of policy as we'll as it is
wrong from the standpoint Of principle
to attempt conciliation with the in
dustrial 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,"
Mr.. Bryan says for two years he
has pointed out the futility of any at
tempt to compromise with wrong or to
patch up peace with the great cor
porations which are now exploiting
the public, but the Southern Demo-
Gratis were so alarmed by the race is
sue that they listened rather reluc-
tantly, be it said to their credit, to the
promises of success held out by those
who had contributed to the defeat of
the party in the two preceding cam
paigns. He continues:
"The experiment has been n costly
one, and it is not likely to be repeated
during the present generation. The
Eastern Democrats were also deceiv-
ed. They were led to believe that the
mngnates and monopolists who coerced
the voters in 1896 and supplied an
enormous campaign fund in both 1896
and 1900 would help If the party
would be less radical. The Democrat
ic papers aided in this deception and
even the Republican papers professed
an unselfish desire to help build up
the Democratic party. The election
has opened the eyes Of the hundreds
Of thousands of honest and we'll
meaning Democrats who few months
ago favored the reorganization Of the
party. These men now see they must
either go into the Republican party
or join with the Democrats Of the
West and South in making the Demo-
cratic party n perfect aggressive and
progressive reform organization. There
is no middle ground"
Mr.. Bryan says he did what he
could to prevent the reorganization Of
the Democratic party. When he fall
ed in this he did what he could to
aid Parker and Davis in order to Sc
cure such reforms--and there were
some vital ones-promised by their
election. Now that the campaign is
over, he will, he says. assist those
who desire to get the old Democratic
army once more upon fighting basis,
He will assist in organizing for the
campaign of 1908. Mr.. Bryan con-
tinues:
ut does not matter 50 much who
the nominee may be. During the next
three years circumstances may bring
into the arena some man especially
fitted to carry the standard. It will
be time enough to nominate candi-
date when we are near enough to the
campaign to measure the relative
availability Of those worthy to be con-
sidered, but we ought to begin now
to lay our plans for the next cam
paign and to form the line Of battle.
The party must continue to protest
against large army and large navy
and to stand for the Independence Of
the Philippines, for imperialism adds
the menace of militarism to the cor
rupting influence Of commercialism:
yet experience has shown that how
ever righteous the party's positlon ON
this question, the issue does NOT arouse
7 ggt ~ II. rs ~