Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-04-05
NEED OF THE
DEMOCRACY
IS NOT REORGANIZATION, BUT UN.
ITY THAT IS WANTED, SAYS
w. J. BRYAN.

Lincoln, Neb. April FIT is a get
ing together of the aggressive elements
of the party in active preliminary work
for the great battle of 1905" is the
way w. J. Bryan explained his recent
activity in connection with the reor-
ganization of the Democratic party.
Mr.. Bryan returned today from Des
Moines, and it was with particular ref
erence to the meeting held there last
night at which he made the principal
address, that he spoke. Mr.. Bryan eX-
planned that the Des Moines meeting
like the one held at Topeka, Kas.,
late in February, was to further a
movement for the organization of
Democratic clubs and thereby place
the machinery of the party in the
hands of those who meant it well. In
Iowa, he said the same plan had been
adopted as in Kansas, with both Of
which he was in hearty sympathy.
Reorganization" Continued Mr..
Bryan, "is hardly the proper way to
express it, because the party does not
need reorganization. There is no fac
tional division calling for separate ef-
forts, but the movement is to get
back to the people. to put the radical
and progressive element in more COM
plete control that there be united
and harmonious effort. letting the rank
and file have a voice in the national
convention by writing the platform
at home for the national convention
to ratify."
Mr.. Bryan said he was not trying
to head faction or to change the Or
ganization other than that he wanted
the progressive men of the party to
take the lead. The conservatives, he
said, had dominated the last national
convention and the party had met
with defeat. He believed the rank and
file of the voters was for progression
and radicalism if need be. Mr.. Bryan
continued: e.
1.-The work should begin at the pri-
maries and every Democrat should
vote. It remains with the rank and
file of the Democratic party to say
what the party's course shall be. No
one will, for a moment, doubt the
course which will be adopted by the
rank and file il they avail themselves
of the duty to register their preference
at the primaries. But systematic ef
fort will be necessary in order that
the Democrats may be impressed with
the Importance of participating in
their party's councils. The enemies
of good government, the beneficiaries
of class legislation, act as one man
with unlimited means at their dispos-
al. The people have only their votes,
and they must cast them together or
suffer defeat. Democrats who believe
their party should be a party of the
people have it in their power, through
systematic organization, to so shape
their partys policies and govern it's
environment for the 1908 campaign
that it will command the support Of
all men who have grown weary Of the
exactions made by special interests
Mr.. Bryan, in conclusion, quoted his
announcement of several weeks ago
| for the organization of the party, say
ing the plan does not rest uOpn the
paramount importance of any one is
sue, but it recognizes the right of the
Democratic voters to control the pol
| icy of the party and to determine its
position upon public questions.
Mr. Bryan presided tonight at a
meeting in St. Paul's Methodist Epis-
copal church, and introduced Ballfng-
ton Booth, who made an address in
behalf of the Volunteers Of America.