The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-31
The -pemocratic opportunitY.

Editorial from New York Evening Post.
 ,fhe course of events ts every. day em- pnasiEing the great opportunity before tho Democratic Party. Never waa tho longing for an eligible opposition more Fl Vnouneed or widespread Thousands ot Republicans are coming reluctantly to believe that what their own party most needs is a sound drIbbing at the polls. and are asking with unconeealed anx- iety whether the Democrats are likely to offer platform and candidate such as the country can hear of without alarm. under our system of party government, the natural remedy for such arrogance, ouch corruption, such fierce factionalism as the Republicans are now displaying mainly question of the Democrats showing themselves fit to be used as the means of punishment.
 Sc much for the general situation, and for things external to the Democratic or- sanitation Within 1t, moreover, the oc- cGslon is most suspicious for riddlng the pc rty Of two pests at one shot. Rightly considered, tho joined forces of Bryan and Hearst are a great stroke of luck for a sane Democracy. It Is not often that a party has so good chance to renounce publicly the devil and all his works. To TepIdiate either man mem tloned would count for much; to show that 1t is able to ride over them both.. in their unholy alliance, would of itself g far to prove that we have again Gemocratic Party. clothed and in It's r:Rht mind.
 It Is a sure affinity which brings Bryan and Hearst together. Both are essential ly self-advertisers. To both, notoriety is !! the breath of their nostris. Both exploit | their Democracy purely for personal az | grandizament. If Bryan is a flrebrand. Hearst Is a whole confiagratien. He | pr reaches the war of classes. He regards the Treasury precisely as he does his l own millions-Just so much money more with which to buy political support Havs ing caught the trick of anarchistie ut- far ll.Nya
 his teacher. Yet Mir. Bryan, in his des- | perate attempts to sustain his failing
 fortunes. does not hesitate to strike hands with this vulgar compound of ig- ncrance and reckI kIessness, who thinks that money can gild his infamous career. We had hoped that Mir Bryan, whose
 Lrvate life has been, we believe, be- ycnd Feproach, would shrink from the repulsiVe contact of a man whose life has teen passed m unmentionable hcentious- ness. but seemingly he will stop not even at that to wreGk his vengeance, if pos | sleie, and prevent his Owh threatened l submergence
 By seising the opportunity to defeat this noble pair of brothers, the Demo could in any other way to reassuFe the country. That would be bringing forth fruit meet for repentance. On the other hand, to stoop to Hearst would be to sink the party almost beyond recovery. Sem atOB Clay of Georgia. has truly said that the nomination of Hearst would mean not only immediate disaster. but a stain upon the party's good name which t could not live down in twenty years
 Some political sins are unpardonable; and one such would be for the Democratic Party 10 take ur with a man who, to say nothing of the foul-smelling trail he has lef. behind him, would make of Pres idential nomination a huge advertisement of himself and of the disgusting wares hs has to seM.
 Phe signs are, on the whole, gratifying
 r. is obvious that Southern Democrats are not going to touch the Bryan Hearst pitch. Delegates from New York, New Jersey Pennsylvania and Massachusetts will surely be against that combination Of dirt and desperation. and will be fin a position, first of all, to write the Dem ocratic platform. Let that be made sound and clear, and both Bryan and Hearst will be ruled out. ipso facto. If they bolt, so much the better. That would furnish the last needed guarantee that the Democratic Party had left off the feeding of swine and had set out for its fathers house The hour has, in short, struck for resolute, energetic, and hon est Democratic leadership, The sancr men in the party are plainly more awake than they were a month ago to both their peril and their way of escape Hard work is @before them. but lt Is certain that they can, if they will go to St
 Louis in such force that the fusion or the worst elements will be routed.