The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-23
SATURDAY, JULY %, 1904.
SOME DISCUSSIONS CLOSED

The Globe stated yesterday that
the entire Democracy was equally
weary of criticisms by Mr.. Bryan and
criticisms by Mr.. Cleveland upon Incl
dents and issues in its past life which
it had now been agreed by common
consent to leave in the grave to which
progress had decently consigned them.
The moral of its uttefanee is powerful
ly reinforced by the latest circular
promulgated by Mr.. Bryan, which
again persistently attempts to substi-;
tute the personal for the party note.
We wish to serve notice right here that
L G b e Will have no more of it
as far as it is concerned either from
one man or the other; from the gold
faction or the old silver faction; from
any man high or low. We are for De-
mocracy and Democrats as defined by
the st. Louis convention; and we shall
recognize no other until the party has
committed itself to new leaders and
to new men.
For the last time, therefore we ex-
press our opinion of one of these per-
sonal utterances. Mr.. Bryan himself,
improperly as it seems to us and in
consistently with his declared purpose
at st. Louis, has set forth a platform
expressing his own views, but having
no relation wha teHer to the Democratic
party in the present campaign, and
therefore out of place and out of time
and of harmony and open to the impu-
tation of intention to injure Mr. Bryan
declares himself a state socialist The
issues which he marks with his an
proval are practically the tenets of the
Socialist party. State ownership of
railroads, control-which means own
ership-of telegraphs, election of fed
eral judges by the people, with the
municipal ownership of all public utili-
ties as necessary corollary, would es-
tablish the socialistic state There
would of course be no stopping place
between that and the absolute owner
ship and operation of all the means Of
production and distribution, which is
the socialists dream and demand.
We do not accuse Mr.. Bryan of mean
ing as yet to go to this extreme. It is
his misfortune to be more sincere than
logical. They misjudge him who have
doubted his belief in his own ideas.
He has proved his fidelity to his con-
Victions. The truth is that he ba
never seen whittier those ideas must
inevitably lead him. 1t is So in the
present case. He has come, he says,
after much thought, to assent to the
principles of government ownership of
railroads. The same mental compuIsion
which has brought him thus far must
carry him on to acceptance of tbe
small balance of the socialistic scheme.
Now Mr.. Bryan has a perfect right
to be socialist if he wants to. He has
perfect right to attempt to convert
the Democratic party to socialism.
What we criticise, and have right to
criticise, is the foisting upon public
discussion at this time by any Demo-
crat of a purely personal opinion. He
declared and still says that he intends
TO remain Democrat and support the
Democratic ticket. The Democratic is
sues for this campaign are made up.
They were fought out and explicitly
e declared at st. Louis. No man has a
right to add to OR subtract from them,
unless it be the candidate for the pres
ideney, and ne only at his own pert,
both with his party and with the coun-
try. If Mr.. Bryan wishes to advocate
state socialism. if he wishes to at
tempt a reorganization Of the Democ-