The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-10
Bryan Says He Did the Bes
That He Could.
UnfavOrable Conditions and Mis-
taken Policy Beat Him.
NOT SILVER THIS TIME.
Says Previous Position of Party
Cannot Be Blamed.
The Gold Democrats Had Every
thing Their Own Way.


ment concerning Tuesdays election,
which is intended to serve as his COM
ment on the result and as an answer
to reports connecting him with move
ment looking to the formation of new
party. Mr.. Bryan said he would not
attempt to deny all the reports circu-
lated as to his future political action,
but would let his statement serve to
explain his position. He said:
1.-The Democratic party has met with
an overwhelming defeat in the national
election. AS yet the returns are not
sufficiently complete topermit analysis,
as it is impossible to say whether the
result is due to an actual increase in
the number of Republican voters or to
a falling off in the Democratic vote.
This phase of the subject will be dealt
with next week when the returns are
all in. The questions for consideration
at this time are, what lesson does the
election teach? And what of the fu-
ture? The defeat of Judge Parker
should not be considered a personal
one. He did as well as he could under
the circumstances; he was the victim
of unfavorable conditions and of
/ mistaken party policy.
HE grew in popularity as the cam
paign progressed and expressed himself
more and more strongly upon the trust
question, but could not overcome the
|
conservative Democrats charged the
| defeats of 1896 and 1900 to the partys
position on the money question and
| insisted that a victory could be won
! by dropping the coinage question en-
tirely. The convention accepted this
theory and the platform made no refer
ence to the money question, but Judge
| Parker felt that it was his duty to an
nounce his personal adherence to the
gold standard. His gold telegram, as
it was called, while embarrassing to
| the Democrats of the west and south,
was applauded by the eastern press.
He had the cordial Endorsement of Mr..
Cleveland, who certified that the party
had returned to safety and sanity
| he had the support of the Democratic
papers which bolted in 1896, and he also
| had the aid of nearly all of those who
were prominent in the campaigns of
| 1896 and 1900, and yet his defeat is ap-
parently greater than the party suffer-
! ed on either of those years.
'It is unquestionabie also that Judge
Parker's defeat was not local but gen.
eral, the returns from the eastern
states being as disappointing as the re-
turns from the west. The reorganizers
They planned the campaign and carried
it on according to their own views,
and the verdict against their plan is a
unanimous one. Surely silver cannot
be blamed for this defeat for the cam
paign was run on a gold basis. Neither
can the defeat be charged to emphatic
condemnation of the trusts, for the
trusts were not asSailed as vigorously
this year as they were four years ago.
1t is evident that the campaign did not
turn upon the question of imperialism,
and it is not fair. to consider the re-
suit as d personal victory for the
president, although his administration
was the subject of criticism.
1.-The result was due to the fact that
the Democratic party attempted to be
conservative in the presence of condi-
Ion hi Ch 6c1N1 nd n oil RI
1t sounded a partial retreat when it
should have ordered a charge all
along the line. In 1895 the line was
drawn for the first time during the
present generation between plutocracy
and democracy, and the party's stand
on the side of democracy alienated a
large number of plutOcratic democrats
who, in the nature of things. cannot
be expected to return, and it drew to
itself a large number of earnest adj
vocates of reform whose attachment
to these reforms is much stronger
than attachment to any party name.
The Republican party occupies the
conservative position. That is, it de-
tends those who, having secured I'M
fair advantage through class legisla-
ton, insist that they shall not be dis
turbed, no matter how oppressive
their exactions may become.
1.-THE Democratic party cannot hope
to compete successfully with the Re-
publican party for this support. To
ement of the country the party would
have to become more plutocratic than
the Republican party, and it could not
do this without losing several times
as many voters as that course would
win. The Democratic party has moth
ing to gain by catering to organized
and predatory wealth. 1t must not
only do without such support, but it
can strengthen itself by inviting the
open and emphatic opposition of these
elements. The campaign just closed
shows that it is as inexpedient from
the standpoint of policy as it is wrong
from the standpoint of principle to
attempt any Cancellation of the indus
trial and financial despots who are
gradually getting control of all the
avenues of wealth. The Democratic
party, if it hopes to win success, must
take the side of the plain common
people"
Mr.. Bryan says for two years he
has pointed out the futility of any
or to patch up a peace with the great
corporations which are now exploit
ing the public, but the southern DEM
ocratS were so alarmed by the race
issue that they listened, rather reluct-
antly, be it said to their credit, to
the promises of success held out by
those who had contributed to the de-
feat of the party in the two preceding
campaigns. He continues:
1.-The experiment has been a costly
one, and it is not likely to be repeated
during the present generation. The
eastern Democrats were also deceived.
They were led to believe that the mag
mates and monopolists who coerced
the voters in 1896 and supplied an
enormous campaign fund in both 1896
and 1900 would help the Democratic
party if our party would only be less
radical. The corporation press aided
in this deception, and even the Re
publican papers professed an unset
fish desire to help build up the Dem
ocratic party. The election has open
ed the eyes of the hundreds of thou
sands of honest and well-meaning
Democrats who few months ago ia
vored the reorganization of the party.
These men now see that they must
either go into the Republican party
or join with the Democrats of the