The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-18
THERE WILL BE DAY OF RECKON

II the Hearst boom has not developed as
much strength his managers predicted, ii
has developed more opposition than they
had any reason TO expect. 1t has taken all
the power of the old party organization and
of the State and local machines managed by
skilled politicians in the most INSCRIPTIONS
way to prevent it from reaching dangerous
proportions. The Parker managers have
not succeeded with small detached force,
they ordered all their reserves to the front
at once. and if they have gained victory
they do not know yet what it may cost
them.
There is a large surviving element of
Organism in Indiana. In 1896 Bryan received
305573 votes in the State, and in 1900 he re-
ceived 309,5s4. AS there has been no cpl
| demic in the State during the last four
years nor an unusual number of suicides, it
is safe to assume that a very large ma
jority Of the Democrats who voted for
Bryan four years ago are still alive. and
most of them are for Hearst. A few are for
Parker or some other candidate, but not
more than a respectable minority. Whom
else could the majority of the Bryanites of
four years ago support but Hearst? Not
Parker. surely, when Bryan is openly fight
ing him. If Bryan were an avowed cand-
date this year does any person doubt that
majority of those who voted for him four
years ago would be for him now? And
with him voluntarily out of the list of cam
didates, but fighting Parker and encourage
ing Hearst, there cannot be much doubt
where the bulk of his followers of four
years ago stand.
Many of the most prominent Democrats
in the State, unreconstructed Bryantes at
| heart, are avowed Hearst men, and many
others who have not openly declared for
him are openly against Parker. With them
| in their opposition to the state machine is
! a large percentage of the men who have
voted the Democratic ticket always
and without question. These Bryanites who
| have borne the heat and burden of the day
during many long years of Democratic de-
feat are entitled to a voice in the party
| management Whatever else Hearst may
be, he is Democrat, and as much entitled
to aspire to the presidency as Judge Park
er or anybody else
Does anybody suppose that the great
| army of faithful followers and admirers of
| Bryan who are now denied the right to be
heard in Democratic conventions who are
| insulted and ignored by the men who con-
| troll the party machinery, who are muzzled,
gagged and treated like political outcasts,
al not 70 I,,1x
| think they will forget and forgive and, on
| the first occasion that offers, turn the other
| cheek to be smitten? Human nature is not
built that way.
There is great deal of Organism left in
Indiana. The delegates to county and dis
| trict conventions who are being run over
| by the machine represent large follow
| ing who feel that they have been vicariously
| treated the same way. They know Bryan,
whom they have voted for twice, and they
! feel that the warfare of the machine is di-
| rected more against him than against
Hearst If they do not care much for
| Hearst, they care less for Parker. AS sur
vivors of the Bryan old guard and veterans
| of two wars, they resent being run over by
the machine simply because they follow
| their old leader in refusing to support Park
er. The latter's managers will doubtless
| succeed in delivering the State to him. or
| to David B. Hill, to be done with as he may
see ut. but their victory is likely to cost
their party dear. If the day of reckoning
/ does not come sooner it will come next No
vember.