Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-13
BRYAN'S POSITION
Will Support Parker Because He Con-
siders Platform Generally
Good.
NOT as BE WOULD HAVE IT
After Election VIII Proceed to Organize
Radical Element for Cam
paiEn of 1905.

IBryan has announced that he will vote
for Parker and Davis, but he declared
lin the same breath that the demo
Icratic party is temporarily under the
lcontrol of Wall street.
His support of the national ticket.
he said, would be from a sense of party
lduty and because he approves of the
democratic platform declarations on
several important issues-erOugh to
make it preferable, in his view, to the
republican platform. Above all, he is
eager to de1eat Roosevelt.
Mr.. Bryan declared that immediate
lly after the election he would begin a
movement for the reorganization of
his party on radical and progressive"
lines for the campaign of 1908.
Statement of Reasons.
Mr.. Bryan's statement of his posi-
tion is as follows:
Il shall vote for Parker and Davis,
the nominees of the democratic ma
tionaI convention, and shall do so for
the following reasons:
Il. Because the democratic ticket
stands for opposition to Imperialism,
while the republican ticket stands for
an imperialistic policy. On this ques-
tion, which was the paramount issue
| in 1900, and which must remain an i'm
portant issue so long as an attempt is
made to hold colonies under the Amer
lean flag-on this issue the convention
was unanimous, the platform emphat-
ic, and | have no doubt that the can
didate will carry out the platform.
so. Mr. Roosevelt is injecting the
race issue into American politics, and
i this issue, if it becomes national, will
make it impossible to consider eco
nomic questions that demand sOlu-
ton. The election of the democratic
ticket will put a quietus upon this at
tempt and permit the race question to
work itself out without the bitterness
which Mr. Roosevelt's conduct has en-
gendered.
"3. Mr.. Roosevelt stands for the
spirit of war. His friends present him
as a man of blood and iron. He be-
lieves in strenuousness and inculcates
a love for warlike things. The demo-
cratic ticket stands for peace, for rea-
son and for arbitration rather than
for force, conquest and buster.
"4. The democratic platform de
clares in favor of the reduction of the
standing army, and as this plank was
unanimously adopted there is reason
to believe that a democratic success
on this subject would bring some ad-
vantage to the people.
VIII Not MIsrepresent Views.
For these four reasons l feel justi-
fed in supporting the ticket, but |
shall not misrepresent the situation or
appeal for votes for the ticket upon |
false grounds.
"A democratic victory will mean |
very little, if any, progress on eco
nomic questions so long as the party |
is under the control of the Wall street |
element. On the money question Mr.. /
Parker is thoroughly committed on
the side of the financiers as Mr.. Roose-
welt. If he does not go as far as the
republicans would in retiring silver
dollars. in establishing branch banks,
in charging the powers of the ma
tional banks and in the substitution of
an asset currency for the present cur
rency it will be because he is restrain
ed by the democrats in the house and
senate. Nothing good can be expected
of him on the money question.
"On the trust question the demo
cratic platform is very much better
than the republican platform, but the
of Judge Parker virtually
nullifies the antitrust plank. Unless
in his letter of acceptance ne commits
himself to attempt antitrust legisla-
ton we need not expect him to pursue
a different course from that pursued
by President Roosevelt.
so far as the labor questions are
we must await Judge Park
er's letter before we shall know wheth-
er the laboring man has anything to
expect from his election. The labor
plank, as prepared by Judge Parker's
friends on the subcommittee. was a
meaningless plank. In the
full committee planks were adopted in
favor of arbitration, the eight-hOur day
and against government by injunction;
also plank on the Colorado situa-
ton. If Judge Parker is silent or am
biguous on these subjects, it will mean
that the financial influence back of him
will not permit him to take the labor
side on these disputed questions.
"On the tariff question some little
progress may be hoped for. but the
Parker men on the committee were
necessarily in favor of a very conserva-
tive tariff plank, and it remains to be
seen whether Judge Parker will carry
out the positive and definite plank
which was submitted by the full COM
mittee.
Things That Are Good.
Judge Parker stands for enough
things that are good 10 justify me in
giving him my vote, but as | have tried
Continued on Eighth Page.)