Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-08-10
PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRATS
Merely the Declarations of Party
Champions in Search OF
Place and Power,

Mr.. Bryan, interviewed in st. Louis
expressed the opinion that the great
success of Mr.. Roosevelt in politics is
due to the fact that he has stolen 6
number of democratic 'principles.' II
would be interesting to know where he
found them. And it would be inter
esting, says the st. Louis Globe-Demo
crat, for Mr.. Bryan to tell the country
where they are to be found. The vital
principles of political parties are not
merely the declaration of party repre-
sentatives in national convention. With
a party long out of power, its reiter-
ated assertion of certain political ten
cts may entitle it TO say that these con-
stitute it's principles of action, or
would in the event of its elevation TO
power. During the long exile of de-
mocracy a generation of voters grew
up in this country who were deluded,
or deluded themselves into a belief
that if the organization should ever
attain to complete control of the gov
ernment, it would inaugurate a new
fiscal policy. Even the years of di-
vision and of legislative obstruction
growing out of the Morrison and Mills
bills, could not shake the faith or
dampeu the ardor of these young men,
whose courage and devotedness were
surely worthy of better fate. For
no sooner was the party in porition
to redeem its pledges than it fell into
hopeless uncertainty, constituting d
menace which did more than any 9TH
er thing to precipitate panic and con-
tinue depression.
When these men turned from old to
newer issues and made Mr.. Bryan the
party leader they found that it was
impossible to unite the party on new
lines as on old. Two campaigns were
enough to demonstrate the fact that
that party is without principles" al
though its mass. like the mass of every
party, favor methods Of government
contributing to a general welfare But
a democratic platform declaration may
not be called a democratic principle. ;"
as republican platform declaration
may for the reason that, if intrusted
with power, the democratic party can
not or will not resolve it's declared pur-
poses into action, as the republicans
do. Doctrinaires may not recognize
this distinction between the parties
but we can assure Mr.. Bryan it is one
which the people recognize as vital to
them.
There is popular belief in the hon
esty of Mr.. Bryan, and a conviction in
the public mind that if he and his fol-
lowers should ever attain to the SUI
preme power in this country they
would, if they could, redeem their
pledges and attempt to resolve into
action their platform declarations. This
IS likely 10 make the attainment af
complete power forever impossible to
them. But beyond the fear of their
sincerity. lies the fear, which is even
greater, of the same sort of prolonged
ana disastrous uncertainty. hesitation
doubt and faltering which came unon
the country under Cleveland. For un-
uer Bryan, as under Cleveland, the par-
W would inevitably split and be in
capable of uniting on the policies if
had advocated in the campaign. The
democratic party stands now. in tte
puollc mind, as one not knowing what
1t wants.