Arizona republican., 1906-06-12
PHoENIx. ARIZONA, JUNE 12. 1906
A REVELATION TO MIR. BRYAN.

REVELATION TO MIR. BRYAN.
 Mir. Bryan's statement yesterday, that before leaving home, he had been unable to distinguish between demOc- racy and socialism, reveals that he was in pretty much the same boat with everybody else. Democracy during the eight years from 1896 was indistin- guishable from anything but republi- canism. It had no fixed principles un- less steady opposition to the principles of the republican party may be regard ed as a principle.
 The democratic platforms of 1896 and 1900 were made broad enough and varied enough to accommodate all who were dissatisfied or disappointed. The socialists were invited to get on and take the post of honor next to the sil- verites. The new plank of anti-im- perialism was added in 1900 and was tolerably we'll occupied.
 It may be gathered from MT. Bryans remarks that in the course of his trav- els he is making a collection of demo- cratic principles just as other travellers collect bric-a-brac. not for it's practical utility. but for the purpose of bringing home ocular proof of having been abroad.
 It is also inferred that MT. Bryan has either reasoned out from within himself or has learned from. what he has encountered in his travels that there was not wide difference be- tween socialism and the democracy of 1S96-19OO
 His remarks may be interpreted to mean formal casting off of socialism, which had hitherto been so much sought after by him and his party and at the same time a renunciation of that part of the labor element which has been permeated by socialism, as for instance the Western Federation
 Thus he leaves a field for w. R. Hearst, who may or may not elect to occupy it, but it is quite probable in the light of his recent utterances that he will not endeavor to tear down the fence which Mir Bryan is constructing between it and democracy.
 The theoretical socialists are by no means in accord with MT. Hearst, nor are they in accord with each other as to the means by which their doctrines are to be made effective, but the large bulk of socialists are less concerned in the route travelled than in the reaching of the end. Hearst has not promised them absolute socialism, but he has guaranteed them some of the objects sought after.
 But there is large. and perhaps much the larger part of the labor vote which neither Bryan nor Hearst can influence. That is the vote that was cast twice for Mckinley and once for Roosevelt. That is the vote of the me chanics in large industrial enterprises who see a logical relation between the interests of their employers and their own.
 MT. Bryan's observations concerning monopolies disclose nothing about any change of heart he may have had regarding the so-called trusts The word monopoly obscures this part of his interview. While there may be good and bad trusts. there is nobody who believes there are good monopolies. Therefore what Mr. Bryan has said on this subject might have been said | by any other public spirited American. l
 It is only evident that MT. Bryans | opinions have been somewhat meIlowed | by time and travel They may be fur ther melowed by the things which may happen within the next two years.
 We can glean from his interview | only this: that he prefers the support | of the substantial element of his party | to that of the wild-eyed element; that | he is disposed to safety and sanity. perhaps though not to such a degree | of safeness and saneness as prevailed at St. Louis two years ago.