The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-07-13
BRYAN is LOYAL,
But NOT ENTHUSIASTIC.
Gives Reasons Why He Will Sup
port Platform and Then Finds
Fault with Nominees.
His Support is Half Hearted and His
Statement Calculated to Encourage
the Populists and Radical DEM
ocrats.


Bryan today gave out the following
statement:
st shall vote for Parker and Davis,
the nominees of the Democratic na>
tional convention, and shall do so for
the following reasons:
"First, because the Democratic
ticket stands for opposition to imper-
ialism, while the Republican ticket
stands for an imperialistic policy.
On this question, which was the para
mount issue in 1900, and which must
remain an important issue so long as
an attempt is made to hoic colonies
under the American fag-on this issue
the convention was unanimous, the
platform emphatic and I have no doubt
that the candidate will carry out the
platform.
"Second, Mr.. Roosevelt is injecting
the race isse into American politics
and this issue, if it becomes national,
will make it impossible to consider
economic questions that demand solu-
tion. The election of the Democratic
ticket will put a quietus upon this at
tempt and permit the race question to
work out without the bitterness
which Mr.. RooseveIt's conduct has
engendered.
'sThird, Mr.. Roosevelt stands for
the spirit of war. His friends re-
present him as a man Of blood and
iron. He believes in strenuousness
and inculcates a love for warlike
things. The Democratic ticket stands
for peace, for reason and for arbitras
tion rather than for force, conquest
and bluster.
Fourth, the Democratic platform
declares in favor of the reduction of
the standing army, and as this plank
was unanimously adopted, there is
reason to believe that Democratic
success on this subject would bring
some advantage to the people.
AS TO ECONOMIC QUESTIONS.
s'For these four reasons feel justi-
fed in supporting the ticket, but
must not misrepresent the situation or
appeal for the ticket on false grounds.
A Democratic victory will mean very
little if any progress in economic ques-
tons, 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 side
of the fnanciers as Mr. Roosevelt. If
he does not go as far as the Republicans
would in retiring silver dollars, in
establishing branch banks, in enlarg-
ing the powers of the national banks,
and in the substitution OF an asset
currency for the present currency, it
will be because he is restrained by the
Democrats in the house and in the
senate. Nothing good cc2ld be expect
ed of him on the money question.
'On the trust question the Derso-
cratic platform is very much better
than the Republican platform, but the
nomination of Judge Parker virtually
nulli6es the antitrust plank. Unless
in his letter Of acceptance he commits
himself to attempt antitrust legisla-
tion, We need not expect him to pursue
a different course from that pursued
by President Roosevelt.
$50 far as the labor questions are
concerned We must wait Judge Par
ker's letter before we shall know
whether the laboring man has any.
thing to expect from his election.
The labor plank as prepared by Judge
Parker's friends on the subcommittee
was a straddling, 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 Col
orado situation. If Judge Parker is
silent or ambiguous on these subjects
it will mean that the financial infu-
ence hack of him will not le. him take
the labor side of these disputed ques-
tions.
SOME LITTLE PROGRESS.
'On the tariff question some little
progress may be hoped for, but the
Parker men on the committee we're
necessarily in favor of very conser-
vative tariff plank, and it remains to
seen whether Judge Parker will carry
out the positive and definite plank
which was submitted by the full COM
mitee. This is the situation.
Judge Parker stands for enough
lL:-.. 4L.L ,,o pood fo ;1cf;fv mo IN