The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-23
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 MT. Bryan in his customary school-boy style, has been publishing far and wide his prize offer for Democratic platform. of the Kansas City platform and demand his money? He would be morally bound to pay. We hope Mir. Bryan will keep up his agitation for the discredited in- strument put forth in 1900 as a statement of Democratic doctrine. He is making no friends for himself or for the declaration of principles on which he got the worst beating a presidential candidate ever re- ceived Unless we wholly uaisjudge the temper of our party 1t is wearied to dis gust with this continued clamor on MT. Bryan's part. The silver issue ts as dead as a door-nail. but if its chief advocate and exponent would charter a train and 20 on one of his whirlwind campaigns to last until the convention assemblies in St. Louis it will then be as good corpse as any undertaken could desire. We should have had much more serious apprehen- sions as to the influence he could exert at St. Louis if he had accepted his two de- feats with more dignity and had brought a little philosophy to bear on his retire. ment into private life. He has preferred to the role of quiet gentility the role of a common scold. He plays this admirably and we hope he will keep it up till the day the convention assemblies.
 Mir. Cleveland has been charged with attempting to write a platform. We see nothing in what he gave the public last week but a demonstration that the party was not without live questions to handle; that it need not forever hark end-all of its existence. It would be only less idle for him than 1t is for MT. Bryan to dictate at this juncture the precise terms of this years platform. That will be written at the convention and after the Republicans have announced the issues upon which they are to so to the country. What the Republicans are going to offer they know as little as the Democrats. ex- cept they will be compelled to endorse the Presidents administration. Their attitude
  more doubtful as the greatest stand patter," Mark Hanna, is now in his grave. It Is uncertain what they will say of trusts; the decision of the Supreme Court that was looked for yesterday may upset all calculations on that subject What ever that decision, we know there must remain within the Republican ranks two factions warning over trusts. That party has not yet a clearly defined policy as to the Philippines. Secretary Root on his retirement from the cabinet made haste to declare that the Philippines should be | treated in the same manner as Cuba. There are rumors of a service pension bill and yet the mere mention of it shows how impossible 1t is to frame at this time a platform for service next summer and autumn. Congress must wind up its work for the session. We must have statements from the respective leaders in the House as to the amount and the pur. poses of appropriations made; we must judge of the condition of the Treasury as it is then and as 1t will be. We shall know more of conditions at Panama and more of the war in the Orient. In short he who attempts at this time. so far ir advance of the convention of delegate. at Chicago or St. Louis to write a plat form is amusing himself in an academic way, pure and simple.
 The Democratic party is in favor of thc greatest individual liberty compatibl, with order. It is opposed to all forms o governmental privilege. These should b, and will be applied to the facts as tn, facts appear to an august national con vention of the Democracy.