Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-11-02

Ties are wrong, we wage war on both. |
Ours is the two-edged sword. In our
it may happen that we do
greater damage to the republicans than
to the democrafs-as in 1892. when Mr.
Bryan and other western democrats
were instructed by the Cleveland man
ayers to vote for Weaver. In another
campaign, it might chance that the
greater damage is done the democrats
In the one case as in the other, we would
not concern ourselves about the matter.
Such result is the accident of war, not
the purpose Of the campaign. 1t is our
business to preach sound populism,
which is sound Jeffersonian democracy,
and to hit the republicans on the one
hand and the democrats on the other.
We must thew to the line" letting the
chips fall where they may.
The statement has been made that In a
speech in Atlanta, expressed a prefer
ence for Mr.. Roosevelt over Mr. Parker.
Neither in that speech nor in any other,
have done so. Being a candidate for
the presidency myself, would have
made myself a sideshow to whichever of
the other two candidates expressed a
preference, for-whereas l am in full
militant. aggressive control of an indie
Roosevelt Is Not Foxy.
Much abuse has been heaped upon me
because more time was devoted by me to
denunciation of Parker than of Roose-
welt. The reason is obvious enough.
Roosevelt is a straight-out republican,
who declares boldly for republican zSin-
ciples, deflantly defending existing con-
ditiOns. To attack him is short, easy Job
He is so conspicuous and stationary a
target that no one who wished to take
shot at him could possibly miss the
mark. He is not in ambush; he is be-
hind no "blind;" he stands out in the
open, and he says to his enemies: Here
| ana republican who stands pat on all
existing conditions; if you want fight,
come on" Now, can understand re-
publican like that; and, while l would
love to make my battle ak ring on his
helmet until one of us went down in po-
litical defeat and death, yet could re-
spect him all the while, as foeman
worthy of any mans Steel Mr.. Roose-
welt will get republican votes, and 70
others. He is not seeking the support
of Bryan democrats upon false pre-
lenses. He is not playing a confidence
game on the negro question. He is not
attempting to win Jeffersonians by a
sham adherence to Jeffersonian princi-
pies. In short. there is no danger that
Jeffersonian democrats will vote for
Roosevelt upon the assumption that
he is a Jeffer- oman democrat. There
Is no danger that Roosevelt will get a
single vote to which I, as a Jeffersonian
in principle, am entitled.
As to Parker Here Is Bryan's Opinion
With Mr. Parker, it is different He is
not Jeffersonian democrat, yet he
seeks to secure the SUPPORT of Jeffer-
sonians. If he would speak out plainly
and tell the people that he is in prin-
ciple the same thing, practically, that
Roosevelt is, the Bryan democrats would
fall away from him by the million. |
would then be enabled to organize such
a party of revolt against the republican
rule as would sweep the country. His
attitude is thoroughly disingenuous, pro-
foundry lacking in true manhood and
leadership. He was willing to stand
upon the New York state platform which
Mr.. Bryan denounced as a dishonest
platform. His position was so indefinite
so foxy. so entirely neutral, that Mr.
Bryan declared, to cheering thousands
that Parker was "absolutely unfit for
the democratic nomination." and tina,
nobody but ar artful dodger" could
stand upon thnt New York platform
which so much resembled it's father
David B. Hill. believe it was also in
the same speeches that Mr.. Bryan de.
clared that man should be willing tc
die for his convictions-which is also &
very sound proposition.
Mr.. Bryan, who is always careful in
the statement of matured opinions, has
assured the country that "the influences
back of the Parker candidacy are so in.
timately associated with trusts anc
great corporations that the democratic
party could not appeal to the masses
with such candidate" said Mr.. Bryan
"they would begin with footrace and
end with rOut." Likewise he stated
self-evident fact when he declared that
''the plutocratic element for the time be.
ing is in control of the democratic
party"
1t was equally clear to Mr.. Bryan, as
it was to so many others, that 1.-The nom
ination of Parker was secured By
crooked and indefensible methods" anG
that the nomination of such man who
had, as Mr.. Bryan declared, won the
honor with LOADED dice,' VIRTUALLY
nullitied the antitrust plank in thu
democratic platform"
These we're fearfully important facts
and they produced the impression on the
minds of millions that there was some.
thing stealthy, deceitful, cowardly anc
utterly dishonest in the Parker cam.
paign for the nomination. Mr.. Bryan
stated facts, profoundly important facts
and they continued to be facts up to the
time that Parker actually got the nom.
ination which he had sought on {
"cowardly and straddling platform, F." thu
honor for which he had played with
loaded dice"
Whether or not the healing virtues
the nomination, cured all the hypocris,
and fraud by which it had been obtained
Is question each citizen should put te
his own intelligence before he votes.
Those things which Mr.. Bryan sale
were facts, before the nomination, were
not obliterated from the catalogue o.
facts by the nomination; they are fact:
yet.
BY dictatorial tone, amounting tt
menace, Judge Parker was driven by thu
NeaD York World into the sending O.
the telegram which told the democrati,
convention, for the first time, and man,
hours after Parker had secured tn
nomination, that the gold standard wa
"irrevocably fixed" Neither then no,
in any utterance afterwards did he sa,
that the gold standard was right, unit
he had been shelled so vigorously b,
myself and others for having deserted
the free silverites without saying the,
were wrong, and having gone over to thu
gold standard without saying it wa:
right. Even Judge Parker finally real
lied that the ground was caving unde1
his feet, and was literally driven to firm
er footing. At last he has taken hi!