The San Francisco call., 1904-06-22
THE TROUBLED DEMOCRACY.


nj The protest was made by delegated meeting in
L Cooper Union and Mr.. Bryan did it. He was
ovated his appearance and must be said that from
his standpoint he made strong presentation, but the
facts he made of of common knowledge.
1t is plain every political observer that Judge Par
ker candidate of the dsgrunted trusts which seek
avenge themselves upon President Roosevelt for
forcing the law David B. Hill is playing the game
which The Call predicted. He wnks one eye at the
Socialists the other the capitalists and expects
them TO join ballots in electing him be the actual
President with Parker automaton MIR. Hearst
sees this game and is trying play it himself Recently
he has taken up the fight of speculative Wall street and
has announced editoriay the sad plight of the specua-
tive brokers who complain that pickings left in
street for of the subsdence of specua
ton. But for all that Mr. Bryan evidently inclines
toward Hearst alternative to Judge Parker.
Mr.. Bryan gave the country surprise in his
speech. He said that while he felt deeply he always
restrained himself in the expression of his feelings All
the world wonders what he would do he let himself
his past has been the result of restraint
The platform adopted by the meeting denounces the
5ansion policy OF the Republican party, though Mr..
Bryan responsible for the ratification of the treaty of
Paris which is the foundation OF the policy complained
Of
The amazing and confusing divisions Of the party ap-
pear the Endorsement by wing of Judge Gray of
Delaware who helped make the Paris treaty commits
siouer and voted for it Senator and the favor in
which Oney held in New England though his remark
able letter advising that the United States go forward
a world power the strongest expansion document
that has been printed No doubt the national platform
Will condemn expansion, though Mr.. Hearst will be
second the number of instructed delegates and his
1893 shrek of Nail the flag the Philippines" is yet
among the noise made by the Spanish In all of
political history there is another of such
hypocrisy folly this attempt to impeach the Re
publican party for policy that had its radx in Demo
cratic demand
Mr. Bryan got down to cases when he charged Judge
Parkers hackers with buying delegations and cited the
purchase OF the Cincinnati convention in proof This
direct charge OF corruption the serious thing
his speech. The country does candidate for
whom State delegations have been bought Mr.. Bryan
holds conspicuous position He has been twice the
candidate OF his party the Presidency has been
Its unquesoned leader since 1896 The candidate of
great party for the Presidency invested with
dignity and responsibility although he has been defeated
The country will be 10th to believe that Mr.. Bryan
deliberate liar prefers think that he tells the truth
when he charges the managers OF Judge Parker with
trying to secure his nomination by corruption and
bribery.
This charge then must stand until it is disproved 1t
leaves the leading candidate in very bad position and
puts him outside the sympathy and support of citizens
who will permit degradation in the scramble for the
first Office of the republic On the other hand the
charges of the kind of corruption against Mr..
Hearst who at this time the second choice OF the
party If the number of instructed delegates measure the
parys preference This charge is not made high
authority Mr. Bryan, but is in the air in every State
in which Hearst's managers have made showing. In
California good authority General Green advised
every delegate the State convention who voted
for Hearst get price equal the value of his
reputation. In Milwaukee has brought a personal
suit against Hearst for of money promised him
for his influence, and if be tried there will be
added interesting chapter to the history of Demo-
cratic decentralization.
These incidents the fall Of great party. The
decline of the party began in 1896 and has been
sve until its leading candidates for the Presidency
stand accused of trying to buy the nomination Under
such circumstances the platform declarations of policy
and denunciaons of the Republican party will have an
empty sound The record issue of morals
is of Importance than contentious finance and
tariff The party stands selfaccused of corrupting it
self How idle then is the claim that party which
moves on a nomination with hand full of brbes can
purify public administration
No American rejoices that this record is made but
every selfrespectng American will be moved to vindi-
the purity and decency of politics by shifting into
deserved obscurty party that itself of these
sins against the body polite.