The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-15
PLATFORM ON THE
WHOLE IS GOOD
So Declare Bryan After
Analysis.
WORTHY OF SUPPORT
So He Declares and Indicates What
He Considers the Strong Points
OF the instrument and
Its Weaknesses.
(By the Associated Press }

Lincoln. Neb., July 14.-W. J. Bry-
an today made public the following
statement relating to the Democrat
ic platform adopted at St Louis:
"The plank on Imperialism is posi-
tive, strong and satisfactory to tha
entire party and this question be-
comes the paramount issue of tho
campaign.
'"The tariff plank is good. but it
was made so on a close vote i'm the
committee and largely against the OPP
position of Mr.. Parker's adherents
The plank which was voted down IA,
vored a wise. conservative and busi4
ness-like' revision. made with due re-
gard to existing conditions
THE committee thought that thesf
qualifying words emasculated tito
plank and left it so weak as TO giva
no hope to tariff reformers
THE antitrust plank is a good one.
1t demands the enforcement of tho
criminal clause of the criminal law
against the trusts; it demands the
abolition of rebates and discriminai
tions and ii demands the Withdrawal,
of the Interstate commerce privileges
from trusts when once convicted.
1.-THE plank is indefinitely superior
to the Republican plank, and with a
President who desired TO destroy the
trusts would be a sufficient plank, but
as this trust plank was also substi-
tuted by the full committee there is
reason to fear that ii may not be in
keeping with the ideas of the candi-
date. The labor plank is all thai
could be desired. 1t declares against
government by injunction; it favors
arbitration and the eight hour day,
and denounces the methods that have
been resorted to i'm the Colorado strike,
but as these planks were added in the
full committee someHu eHuncertainty exists
as to the candidates position.
THE platform declares in favor of
the reduction of the army. Upon this
the committee was unanimous. The
subcommittee reported a plank in fa-
vor of an increase of the navy, but
this was stricken out in the full COM
mittee.
1.-The platform has a plank in favor
of the scope of the Interstate COM
merce commission and in favor of ir-
rigation. The general clauses of the
platform excite no dispute and the ap-
peal against the Introduction of a race
issue ought to have weight with the
sober thinking Americans.
ION the whole. the platform is good
From Western standpoint it's great
est defect is that il makes no mention
of the money question. An attempt
was made to secure a plank opposing
the melting of the silver dollar OPP
posing the asset currency and branch
banks, and expressing q preference
for the United States note Ordinarily
known as the "greenback') over the
bank note, but having refused to
put in a gold plank, the committee
was not willing to have any phase of
the money question ALL While the
motion TO re-affrm the Kansas City
platform was voted down, there was a
considerable vote in favor of it's .e-
affirmation and the western members
of the committee, together with a few
from the South, stood together and
secured enough changes i'm the plat
form 10 make it a Dresentable docu-
ment and worthy of the support Of
the party.