The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-13
BRYAN PROMISES
TO SUPPORT PARKER
But He Has Objections Both
to Candidate and
Platform

Bryan today gave out the following
statement:
81 shall vote for Parker and Davis
the nominees of the Democratic ma
tional convention, and shall do so for
the following reasons:
"First-Because the Democratic
ticket stands for opposition to i'm
perialism, while the Republican ticket
stands for an imperialistic policy. On
this question, which was the para
mount issue in 1900 and which must
remain an important issue SO long as
an attempt is made to hold colonies
under the American f1ag-on this issue
the convention was unanimous the
platform emphatic, and 1 have no
doubt that the candidate will carry
out the platform.
''Second-Mr. Roosevelt is injecting
the race issue into American politics,
and this issue, if it becomes national.
will make it Impossible to consider
economic questions that demand solu-
ton. The election of the Democratic
ticket will put a quietus upon this at
tempt and permit the race question TO
work itself out without the bitterness
which Mr.. Roosevelt's conduct has en-
gendered.
Roosevelt Represents War
"Third-Mr. Roosevelt stands for the
spirit of war. His friends present him
as man of blood and iron. He be-
heyes in strendousness and inculcates
a love for warlike things The Demo-
cratic ticket stands for peace, for rea-
son and for arbitration, rather than
Tor force, conquest and buster
'Fourth-The Democratic platform
declares in favor of the reduction of
the standing army. and as this plank
was unanimously adopted there is rea-
son to believe that Democratic success
on this subject would bring some adj
vantage to the people.
For these four reasons I feel iusti-
fed in supporting the ticket, but 1
shall not misrepresent the situation or
appeal for votes for the ticket upon
false grounds. A Democratic victory
will mean very little, if any, progress
on economic questions SO long as the
party is under the control of the Wall
street element. On the money ques-
ton Mr.. Parker is as thoroughly COM
mitted to the side of the financiers as
Mr.. Roosevelt. If he does not go as
far as the Republicans would in retir-
Ing silver dollars, in establishing
branch banks, in charging the powers
of the national banks and in the sub
stltutlon of an asset currency for the
present currency, it will be because
he is restrained by. the Democrats in
the house and senate Nothing good
can be expected of him on the money
question.
Trust Question Enters
ION the trust question the Demo-
cratic platform is very much better
than the Republican platform, but the
nomination of Judge Parker nullifies
the antitrust plank. Unless in hi;
letter OF acceptance he commits him
self to attempt antitrust legislation
We need not expect him to pursue a
qiHefenl course from that pursued by
President Roosevelt
80 lar as the labor questions are
concerned, we must await Judge Par
kers letter before we shall know
whether the laboring man has any
thing to expect from his election. TIE
labor plank, as prepared by Judge Par
kers friends on the subcommittee was
a Stfaddllng, meaningless plank In
the full committee planks were adopted
IN favor of arbitration, the eight hour
day and against government by in
junction.; also a plank on the Colora do
situation. If Judge Parker is silent or
ambiguous on these subjects it will
mean that the financial influence back
or him Will not permit him to take the
labor side on these disputed questions.
On the tariff question some little
progress may be hoped for. but the
Parker men on the committee were
necessarily in favor of a very conserva-
tive plank, and it remains to be seen
whether Judge Parker will carry out
the positive and definite plank which
was submitted by the full committee.
This is the situation.
Takes Nothing Back
Judge Parker stands for enough
Things that are good to justify me in
giving him my vote, but as l have tried
10 point out for several months, the
triumph Of the Wall street element of
the party denies to the country any
nope of relief on economic questions.
L have nothing to take back. I have
nothing to withdraw, of the things |
have said against the methods pur-
sued to advance his candidacy. 1t was
a PLAIN and deliberate attempt to de-
ceive the party. The New York plat
form was vague and meaningless and
purpoSely so because the advocates OF
Judge Parker were trying to secure
votes from among the people who
would have opposed his views had they
known them.
If he had sent to the Albany con-
Eentlon the telegram that he sent to the
st. Louis convention he would have had
very few instructed delegates from the
South and no possible chance for the
nomination. But he and his managers
ouIolliy ana purpOSely concealed his
position until the delegates had been
corraled and the nomination secured
Then his friends attempted to secure q
gold plank, which was overwhelmingly
defeated in the committee After the
party had rejoiced over the harmony
secured by the omission of the cues
ton. and after he had secured the nom
lnation, he injected his Views upon the
subject at a time when he could not be
taken from the ticket without great
decentralization. The nomination was
secured, therefore, by crooked and in
defensible methods, but the Democrat
who loves his country has to make his
decision upon conditions as he finds
them, not upon conditions as he would
like to have them
After having stated that shall sup
port the ticket. and after having giver
my reason for SO doing, l think it due
to the Democrats of the nation to say
that while the fight on economic ques-
lions is postponed, it is not abandoned.
AS soon as the election is over
shall, with the help of those who be.
lieve as do, undertake to organize TO,
the campaign of 1908, the object beine
to marshal the friends of popular gov
eminent within the Democratic party
TO the support of radical and progress.
i've policy to make the Democratic
party an efficient means in the hands
of the people for securing relief from
the plutocratic element that controls
the Republican party, and for the time
being is i'll control of the Democratif
party. This plan of organization will 1,x