New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-08
himself and ought TO understand Mr.. Colers
need.
POLITICAL oSTRAoIsm.


Less attention than they deserved has bean
given TO Mr. Bryan's Reputation OF Roger c.
Sullivan and his refusal 10 accept the facetious
Endorsement which Mr.. Sullivan fathered and
pushed through the recent state convention In
Illinois. No one expected Mr.. Bryan 10 for
give so pointed a snub or 10 anything anus
ing in Mr.. Sullivan's hOrseplay. The Illinois
National Committeeman is a cynic as we'll as
O humorist and II gave him inward pleasure.
no doubt 10 fout the impsrious demand for his
head sent over from Scotland and then 10 make
a parade Of humbly kissing the hand which had
been raised 70 smite him. Mr. Bryan has. how
ever sadly undevelOped sense Of humor. He
construed Mr.. Sulliyans sarcastic iattery as
mem spirited shutting. and saw In his airy Gym
icsm only a lamentable lack OF self-respect
Mr.. Bryan had said plainly that he wanted no
encOmiums from a convention which failed to
reduce Mr.. Sullivan 10 the ranks. He could feel
nothing but contempt therefore, for a body
which, though willing to thwart his purposes.
Was yet weak enough TO PROSTATE itself before
him with sycophantic praise. The personal in
cident. however. was not closed by Mr.. Bryan's
population. for Mr.. Sullivan has challenged him
To invite a verdict determining which Of them
shall retire from public life
In spurning Mr.. Sullivan and his offensive
Endorsement Mr.. Bryan went further aud tried
70 lay down a hard and fast rule for separat-
ing the clean from the uncean in politics-thO
chosen from the unregenerate- He proposed, in
fact 20 introduce a system OF prescription and
ostracism. based not on individual merit
demerit on individual belief or action. but on
the accident Of outward occupation and associa-
ton. Mr.. Sullivan, Mr. Bryan argued. was dis
qualified for holding any post of influence in
the Democratic organization. not merely because
he was the beneficiary OF fraud at the Spring
field convention OF 1904. but because he was
connected with a franchise holding corporation.
Il hold" said Mr.. Bryan TO his Chicago hearers
last Tuesday, that no man who is officially
connected with corporation that is seeking
privileges ought 10 act as a member Of a po-
''litical organization" This is a new doctrine
in our politics, and once applied must be car
ried 10 startling lengths If all those persons
connected with corporations holding public fran
chises and seeking TO maintain or extend the
privileges they possess are TO be excluded from
membership in political parties there must fol-
low readjustment In political conditions more
revolutionary than any we have seen before
If we are 10 put the stamp OF Ostracism on all
corporation officers and employees all owners
Of stock in franchise holding enterprises. all
lawyers retained by such corporations and all
persons directly or indirectly interested in their
welfare. we shall create a new tainted class in
citizenship as large and as efTectually disquali-
fed politically as the Southern Negroes. We
shall have three grades OF citizens-a ruling and
directing class. voting and directed class and
a class with neither influence nor votes. The
prescription visited on the black man will be
extended 10 all unfortunates entangled in dis
qualifying associations with railroads. banks,
public service corporations and other enterprises
operating under public franchises.
IL may be said that Mr.. Bryan has only Dor
rowed and adapted a suggestion originally made
by President Hadley-the suggestion that social
ostracsm is the real cure for the evils attend
ing corporate oppression and the accumulation
of I'll gotten power and wealth. But the Ne
braska statesman IS undertaking a stupendOus
task ia attempting 10 deny the right of fellow
ship In political parties TO the voters logically
affected by his prescription. There are hun
dreds Of thousands OF Democrats in the Sulll-
van category. and Mr.. Bryan will be kept busy
for the next twenty years. at least, In segre-
eating the sheep in the Democratic pasture from
the communicating goats 1t may be that he Will
be well employed. But we are inclined 10 be-
ueve that the American public Will never take
kindly 10 his experiment in political Ostracism-
an experiment savoring too much Of the AFRO
gance and injustice OF the boycott and the black
list 10 appeal 10 the innate fairness OF the
American mind.