Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-07-14
I'm FOR YE"
Is Would-be Dramatic
Utterance Of Bryan
In Announcing that He'll Vote
for Parker and Davis.
He Issues Long Statement, in Attempt
to Keep His Name Before and Him
self Solid With His Former Ad
mirers.

IBell
II shall vote for Parker and Davis.
the nominees of the Democratic nation
al convention and shall do so for the
following reasons:
"F'irst-Recause the Democratic tick
ct stands for opposition to imperial
ism, while the Republican ticket stands
for an imperialistic policy. On this
question, which was the paramount is
sue in 1900, and which must remain an
important issue so long as an attempt
is made to hold colonies under the
American fag-on this issue the con-
vention was unanimous, the platform
emphatic, and have no doubt that the
candidate will carry out the platform.
"Second-Mr. Roosevelt is injecting
the race question into American poll
tics and this issue, if it becomes nation
al, will make 1t impossible to consider
economic questions that demand solu-
ton. The election of the Democratic
ticket will put quietus upon this at
tempt and permit the race question to
work itself OF. Without the bitterness
which Mr.. Roosevelt's conduct has en-
gendered.
'Third-Mr. Roosevelt stands for the
spirit of war. His friends present him
as man of blood and iron. believes
in strenuousness and inculcates a love
for war-like things. The Democratic
ticket stands for peace, for reason and
for arbitration rather than for force,
conquest and buster.
"Fourth-The Democratic platform
declares in favor of the reduction of
the standing army, and as this plank
was unanimously adopted there is rea-
son to believe that a Democratic sue
cess on this subject will bring some adj
vantage to the people.
For these four reasons I feel justi-
fled in supporting the ticket, but l shall
not misreprcsent the situation or ap-
peal for votes for the ticket upon false
grounds. A Democratic victory will
mean very little. if nay progress on
economic questions so long as the party
is under the control of the Wall street
element. On the money question, Mr..
Parker is as thoroughly committed to
the other side of the financiers as is Mr..
Roosevelt. If he does not go as far as
the Republicans would in retiring silver
dollars, in establishing branch banks,
in enlarging the powers of the national
banks and in the substitution of an as
set currency for the present currency.
it will be because he is restrained by
the Democrats in the House and Senate.
Nothing good can be expected of him on
the money question.
"On the trust question the Democrat
ic platform is very much better than
the Republican platform, but the nOmi-
nation of Judge Parker virtually multi
fies the antitrust plank. Unless in his
letter of acceptance, he commits himself
to attempt antitrust legislation, we
need not expect him to pursue differ
ent course from that pursued by Presi-
dent Roosevelt.
so far as the labor questions are
concerned we must await Judge Par
ker's letter before we shall know
whether 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
st.addling, meaningless plank. In the
full committee plankS We're adopted in
favor of arbitration, the eight-hOur day
and against government by Injunction;
also a plank on the Colorado situation.
If Judge Parker is silent or ambiguous
on these subjects it will mean that the
financial influence back of him, will not
permit him to take the labor side of
these disputed questions.
"On the tariff question some little
progress may be hoped for, but the Par
ker men on the committee were neces-
sarily in favor of very conservative
tariff plank and it remains to bee seen
l.
the positive and definite plank which
WAS submitted by the full committee.
This is the situation.
Judge Parker stands for enough
things that are good to justify me in
giving him my vote. but as 1 have
tried to point out for several months,
the triumph of the Wall street element
of the party denies any hope of relief
on economic questions. I have nothing
to take back. l have nothing to with
draw of the thing l have said against
the methods pursued to advance his
candidacy. 1t was plain and deliber-
ate attempt to deceive the party. The
New York platform was vague and
meaningless and purposely SO because
the advocates of Judge Parker were
I
people who would have opposed his
views had they known them. If he had
sent to the Albany convention the tel
egram that he sent to the st. Louis con-
vention he would have had very few
instructed delegates from the South
and no possible chance for the nominal
ton. But he and his managers adroit-
ly and purposely concealed his position
until the delegates had been corralled
and the nomination assured. Then his
friends attempted to secure gold
plank. which was overwhelmingly de-
feated in the committee. After the
party had rejOiced over the harmony
secured by the omission of the question
and after he had secured the nominal
ton. he injected his views upon the
subject at time when he could not be
taken from the ticket. without great
secured. therefore. by crooked and in
defencible methods, but the Democrat
who loves his country has to make his
decision upon conditions as he finds
them, not upon conditions as he would
like to have them.
After having stated that shall sup.
port the ticket and after having giver
my reasons for so doing, I think it due
to the Democrats Of the nation to say
that while the fight on economic ques