The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-10
Says SO-CaIed Conservatism
 Was Wrong Policy
PARKER GAINED STRENGTH
The Corporation Contributions to the Republican Fund Constituted an Influence That Could Not
 Be Overcome.

Lincoln, Neb., November Civilian J. Bryan tonight gave out an extended statement concerning yesterdays election which is inteded to serve as his cum ment on the result, and his answer to reports connecting him with a move ment looking to the formation of d new party. MT. Bryan said he would not attempt to deny all the reports circulated as to his future political action, but would let his statement serve to explain his po- sition. He says:
 'The democratic party has met with an overwhelming defeat Tn the national election. As yet tue returns are not suf- ficiently complete to permit analysis, as it is impossible to say whether the result is due to an actual increase in the num- Der of republican voters or to a failing of in the democratic vote. This phase of the subject will be dealt with when the returns are all in. The questions for consideration at this time are what les son does this election teach? And what of the future? The defeat of Judgo Par ker should not be considered a personal one. He did as well as he could under the circumstances, and he was the victim
  taken party policy.
 Grew in Popularity.
 He grew in popularity as the campaign progressed, and expressed himself more and more strongly upon the trust ques- tion, but could not overcome the heavy odds against him. The so-called con servative democrats charged the defeat of 1896 and 1900 to the partys position or the money question, and insisted that a victory could be won by dropping the coinage question entirely. The con en- ton accepted this theory and the plat form made no reference to the money question, but Judge Parker felt that | was his duty to announce his persona adherence to the gold standard. His golC telegram, as it was called, while em barrassing to the demoevats of the wes and south, was applar~ed by the easteri press He had the cordial indorsemen of Mr. Cleveland, who certified that thu party had returned to safety and sal ~ he had the support of the democratic pa pers who bolted in 1896, and he had als' the aid of nearly all of those who wer' prominent in the campaigns of 1896 ant 1900, and yet his defeat is apparent. greater than the party suffered in eithe of those years.
 Defeat Was General.
 It is unquestionable also that Judg Parker's defeat was not local but gen eral, the returns from the western state being as disappointing as the returns iron the east. The reorganizers are in com plete control of the party, they planne the campaign and carried it on accordin to their own views, and the verdic against their plan is a unanimous one Surely silver cannot be blamed for thi defeat, for the campaign was run on gold basis. Neither can this defeat b charged to emphatic condemnation O the trusts, for the trusts were not as sailed as vigorously this year as the were four years ago. It is evident tha the campaign did not turn upon the ques ton of imperialism, for it is not fair t consider the result as a personal victor for the President although his admins tration was the subject of criticism.
 Attempted to Be Conservative.
 "The result was due to the fact tha the democratic party attempted to be cor servative in the presence of condition which demand radical remedies. It sound ed a partial retreat when it should hay ordered a charge along the lines. In 1Ss the line was drawn for the first time dun ing the present generation between plu tocracy and democracy, and the party stand on the side of democracy alienate a large number of plutocratic democrats who in the nature of things cannot be eA pected to return it, and did draw to itse a large number of earnest advocates ( reform, whose attachment to these rt forms Is much stronger than attachmer to any party name. The republican part occupies the conservative position. Tha is 1t defends those who, having secure unfair advantage through class legisls tion insist that they shall not be dls turbed, no matter how oppressive the taxation may become.
 'The democratic party cannot hope compete successfully with the republica party for this support. To win the SUI port of the plutocratic element of tf country the party would have to becon more plutocratic than the republica party, and it could not do this withol losing several times as many votes g that course would win. The democrat party has nothing to gain by caterin to organized and predatory wealth. must not only do without such suppor but it can strengthen itself by invitin the open and emphatic opposition of thes clements. The campaign just closed show that 1t is inexpedient from the stanC point of policy as it is wrong from tf standpoint of principle to attempt an concliation of the industrial and fianci; despots, who are gradually getting COT trol of all avenues of wealth. The den ocracy. if it hopes to win success, nut take the side of the plain, common pe' pie"
 Compromise Is Futile.
 MT Bryan says for two years he hs pointed out the futility of any atteml to compromise with wrong or to patch | peace with the parties which are now e plotting the public, but the sound den ocrats were so alarmed by the race issl | that they listened rather reluctantly, 1t said to their credit, to the promises 1 success held out by those who had col | tributed to the defeat of the party in u | two preceding campaigns. He continue
 "The experiment has been a costly or | and it is not likely to be repeated durir | the present generation. The eastern der ] ocrats also were deceived. They we 1 fed astray by the monopolists who coerc, | the voters in 1896 and supplied an enc ! nous campaign fund in both 1896 al | 1900 into believeing that they would he | the democratic party if our. party wou | cnly be less radical. The corporatis press aided In this deception, and even u l republican tapers professed an unseli. | desire to relp build up the democrat | party.