Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1904-11-16
SOUND L O GIG.
Watson ON the Landslide.

does the work which the reiormeUs vast done so
that the work itself is done.
have no faith whatever that reforms will be ac-
by the Democratic party. lids discred-
tied in the eyes of the people by series OF crushing
defeats bat it has been so vacillang Ia its course,
it has changed its principles so often has from
one extreme to another so recently, had such mag
nifcent opportunity in 1892 co work cut the re-
reforms 20 which it stood pledged and made such a
wretched use Of that opportunity that cannot in
spire the confidence which leads to success. Since
1892 the Democratic party has almost entirely box
ed the compass in political profession Of faith. 1t
has been fer pretty much ythng until this year,
when it stood for everything or nothing according
to the Interpretation which the voter cheese to put
upon its ambiguous plati0Cm.
Mr.. BryaE, while great Democrat is not the
Democrat party
There are other distinguished Democrats who are
yet to be heard FROM and they may not indOCse his
Populist platform. There is John Sharp Williams
Of Mississippi, there is John w. Bailey Of Texas,
there is Senator Tillman of South Carolina, there s
Senator Morgan of Alabama, there is Senator Dan.
el Of Virginia; in fact, there are quite number Of
to put in word before the next national Democrat
ic platform is fKed. They may not be willing ia
take, for instance, Mr.. Bryans SOCtyseven differ.
ent systems Of government railroads; they may moi
be in favor OF some other planks ia bis platform.
Be that rs it may, Mr.. Bryan has no more right al
the present to say what the Democratic platform
shall be in 1908 than any other distinguished Dem.
Ocrat. For the next four years the Democratic
creed must remain what the st. Louis convention OF
1904 made it and the machinery Of the party must
remain in.the hands OF the men who now hold it.
The air still rings with the eloquence with which
Mr.. Bryan indOrsed the candidate Of the st. Louis
Convention, spoke OF him as the Moses Of DemOc.
racy, spoke Of Parkers ideals as his own ideals and
proclaimed the sincerity" with which be was ad-
vOcatng both the platform and the nominees Of 1904
Mr.. Bryan himself will remain for four years as
much bound by the action of the St. Louis Conven.
tiOn as he was when he made his whirlwind trip
through through Indiana. II the action of the con.
ventiOu bound him then, it binds him now.
The election did not release Bryan. He can only
be released by another National convention and
that National convention will not meet till 1905.
Therefore when Mr.. Bryan cuts loose from plat.
form which he so recently asked the people to in.
dOrse in behalf Of Judge Parker, he takes position
which is that Of Bryan, the Individual and which
cannot bind any other Democrat whatsoever For
four years the Democratic party has got to stand BY
the action Of the St. Louis convention whether they
wish to do so or not. What they did there is Of
fetal and binding. Mr. Bryan himself gave it his
sanction. Again SIR. Bryan has no substantial
reason for believing that he can ever getthe National
Democratic party to adopt the Populis programme
which be has just formulated. The Democratic
party never did do it, and the presumption is thai
it never WILL The plutOeratic element has Just as
much power within the party now as it had wber
the st. Louis convention met. Indeed, it has more
It has all the machinery now which the Bryan mer
then had; it has the same control over the news
papers which it then had therefore, it is as certain
as anything can be that they will be able to again
defeat Mr.. Bryan in the National convention wher
he comes before it with bis PopUIist platform.
Suppose, however, that he should be victorious
over them in the National convention. Can they
not knife him just as successfully as they did il
1896i Is it not absolutely certain chat they art
iustas much Joined in their idols now as they were