The semi-weekly messenger., 1904-02-23
BRYAN AND Bossrss1.

vember II will not be the fault OF Will
dam Jennings Bryan II there is har-
nony in the Democratic National Con-
vention at St. Louis next July it
will be in snite OF William
Jennings Bryan. II there is dis
cord in the Democratic councils Mr..
Bryan will carry II there. IL there is a
bolt OF the democratic platform and
democratic ticket Ar. Bryan will lead
It That Is the kettle OF fish that is
cooking for the democratic party. Mr..
Bryan is going up and down the earth
acting like a spoiled child and talking
like an angry boy. and assuming 10
Sit in Judgment on the Democratic
leaders and to dictate democratic pol
icies. Whom he objects to is q hereto;
what he does not indorse is vicious
Nobody IS allowed TO be a democrat
without his consent, and nothing can
pass for democracy that he does not
utter. In the whole history of poll
tics failure was never before SO dogmat-
tc and SO insolent.
We had a specimen OF this phase Of
Bryanism in Ohio last year. MI Tom
L Johnson held a convention, made a
platform and nominated a. ticket That
7.
Johnson sent for Mr.. Bryan to come
over and look at his work and pass
on 1t. As there was opportunity to
make stump speeches. Mr.. Bryan ac-
cepted the invitation and crossed over
He pronounced the fads and vagaries.
chips and whetstones of the platform
excellent democracy and laid hands on
candidate Clarke and assumed to make
him whole. Mr.. Clarke was the nomi-
nee for United States senator. In 1895
he was a Palmer and Buckner man
So we have it that Palmer and Buck
ner man may be senator in Congress
but shall not be a candidate for Pres
ident. There is another wrinkle Of va
gary in Mr.. Bryan's conduct. He has
decreed that Mr. Gorman shall not be
nominated for President though that
gentleman voted for Nr. Bryan both
times. If this man would have some
system, some continuity. some consis
tency. in his bulls Of political excom-
munication 1T might work to eliminate
some Of the confusion he unloaded on
democratic politics when he returned
from abroad.
Mr.. Bryan is the enemy Of wealth.
His platitudes and flatulendes and
cantings about the wickidness Of wealth
while with tongue and pen he pro-
ceeds to gather wealth by the thou
people, who think it just as honora BILE
and legitimate for a banker to make
money as it is for an editor and stump
speaker to make it. Many centuries
ago the throng demanded, Release
unto us Barabbas," and one Of the rea-
sons for that cry was that the blessed
redeemer had abided' in the house OF
and broken bread with Zaccheus
publican. a sinner and a plutocrat.
That there is a bad distribution of our
enormous wealth all candid men ad
nit That it is demoraliZing is certa n.
but it was and is paternalism in gov
eminent that is responsible for the i'm
mense oyergrown fortunes OF multi
millionaires and no man has advocated
more vicious and more destructive pa
ternalism in government than William
Jennings Bryan. Twice he accepted
the populist nomination for President
when he ought to have known that
every atom of populism was the spawn
Of paternalism.
In 1896 Mr.. Bryan had a platform that
suited him exactly and he kept his
country in hot water for months. He
assailed the public credit and denounc-
ed the public justice. After campaign
of thorough education Mr.. Bryan was
disastrously defeated. Then we thought
We were done with him. But in 1900
Mr. Bryan forced the national con-
FSnllOI 10 pldlloi
again he accepted the populist nomi-
nation. The result was aH even more
disastrous defeat than in 1900. Both
his electoral and popular vote fell off,
while McKinley's increased. That is
Bryan the leader
Here is 1904. Shall Mr.. Bryan dc
tate the platform and name the ticket?
That is something the democratic par
ty must determine. and do 1t pretty
quick He has announced that the
platform of 1896 and 1900 shall be re-
affirmed. He has decreed that no
body who did not vote for him in 1896
shall be nominated and he has even
gone so far as to say that some who
did vote for shall not be nominated.
How is that for Bossism? What does
it mean? 1t means this: You have
got to submit to my dictation or / viii
divide the party" That is what he
means and all he means. II that IS not
Mr.. Bryan's determination he ought to
go home and stay there. If he keeps
on the way he is headed there VII be
no other place for Mr.. Bryan to go in
a very few years. up like a rocket,
down like a. stick" has been the fate of
greater men than Bryan.
What is the democratic party gong
to do about it? 1t is in the timber to
elect a democrat to the office Of Pres
ident this year. If Mr.. Bryan will go TO
Tibet, and not start back until Novem-
Der the next President will be q dem
ocrat If the democratic party should
discover that Mr.. Bryan is as impo-
tent for harm as Bryanism is for good
the next President will be a democrat.
AS a bolter Mr.. Bryan can do no harm.
When he bolts Bryanism east Of tie
Mississippi will vanish. II the party
should put the corpse of 16 to 1 in its
platform it would not add sing e
electoral vote to its column. II the par
ty has the sagacity to bury that corpse
and plant itself firmly on trad onai
democratic doctrine of home rule, h"n-
est money. just taxation, supremacy
of the law. and honest economic "
ernment the party will find enough
electoral votes at the North for all
practical purposes when added TO the
certain democratic electoral votes at
the south.