The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-01-14
BRYAN Ol REDRel-
nlTlol Of DEMOCRACY

Ia, Sotur1y Bveaang Psse H Dase1so0
CA~s Of Repablsean vseteey and
Tells e ProAleno Denoe1ato
Must 9olve.
William Jennings Bryan contributes
to recent issue Of the Saturday
Evening Post an article on The Re-
organization Of the Reorganized DEM
ocracy." in which he discusses the
causes of the overwhelming victory of
the Republicans and points out some
OF the problems confronting the DEM
ocratic party. He says in part:
whether the overwhelming victory
Won by the Republican party in the
recent national campaign Is to be con-
sidered as an Endorsement Of the presi-
dent and his policy, or as rebuke to
the Democratic party. Is question
which cannot be fully determined I'M
I'LL the returns are complete 1t ls
evident. however. at this writing that
the falling Off in the Democratic vote
was much greater than the gain in the
Republican vote and in some places
the Democratic loss was even greater
than the gain shown by all other par
ties combined. This would indicate
considerable stay-at-home vote, and
the man who stavs at home ususally
does so because neither his own party
nor any other party arouses his inter-
est The great majority Of the men,
hers of the Democratic party voted
their ticker With much less enthusiasm
than they manifested in former years:
but they voted because they felt that
Judge Parker's election would bring
certain much needed reforms, whereas
President Roosevelt's promised nothing
OF the sort.
But in spite of the advantages
promised by Judge Parkers election
II is evident that great many Dem
ocrats were SO devouted to economic
reform. and so disa ppointed at the par
tvs failure to make a vigorous attack
upon the Republican policies all along
the line that they refused to support
the Democratic ticket This disaffec
ton was far greater than the Repub-
licans themselves expected, for in al
most every instance the Republican
plurality was considerably larger than
the Republican committees claimed the
day before election. 1t is only fair to
say that Mr.. Roosevelt's personality
contributed to some extent to the
magnitude OF his victory. for opposi-
ton to him was lessened by the fact
that some thought him a reformer in
disguise There is nothing in his Of
flc!al career to encourage the belief
that he will propose any reforms. and
Yet it is unQuestionably true that many
voters in his own party and outside
<.f Sc L
]osse" as soon as he is inaugurated as
president in his own right
Though ii will require four years
for the country to form an estimate of
the value (or cost) Of the recent vic
1ory. it is already evident that the
overwhelming character Of the defeat
has pat an end TO the attempts of the
Socalec conservative Democrats to
elnasculate the Democratic creed. The
fact that the party, Notwithstanding
Judge Parker's gold telegram was
defeated by a larger plurality than
even when the platform contained a
s;xteen-to-one plank, has made it i'm
possible for the Eastern wing to at
tempt again by promise of victory.
In the beginning of the campaign
some of the literature sent out con-
ta!ned editorials from New York papers
declaring that tn. party had repudiat-
cd 'Populism and w;:s again safe and
sane. 1t was not long before it was
discovered that such literature was
harmful. and during the latter days of
the campaigna the real danger became
apparent, and earnest appeals We're
made to those who were fighting for
That there is need Of reform is al
ready apparent to millions, and it will
become apparent to increasing num-
beTs as the years advance. The extent
to which the public is being exploited
to-day is not fully real ized by any large
proportion of the people. If it were the
Republican party would be turned out
of power by a vote largely in excess
of that by which it won in the recent
campaign. 1t is the duty of the Dem
ocratic party-and 4 duty which it is
1Dw free to perform--to present to the
public the reasons for refusing longer
to trust the Government to Republican
leaders.
Take, for instance, the railroads.
They are stocked and bonded for ap-
proximately twice what they are
worth
THE trust question presents some Of
the same phases as the railroad prob
lem. Nearly all the trusts are over
capitalized and rely upon their control
of the market to collect dividends and
besides this they are constantly mar
rowing the field of independent enter
prise.
The Democratic party has declared
in two platforms that private mo-
nopoly is indefensible and intolerable.
It has demanded the enforcement OF
the criminal law and it has also de-
manded that the privileges of inter-
state commerce be withdrawn from the
trusts. It has a chance to bring this
question before the public with increas-
l:ng emphasis, and it will profit by the
public sentiment which must ultimate
lily condemn private monopoles of ey-