The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1906-07-05
sRYAN's VERSATILITY.
Makes a Grand Stand Play for the
Votes of Fledgling So
cialists.

route for some time" but II has come
TO his knowledge that some Democrat
ic state conventions have nominated
him In advance as the Democratic
candidate for president in 1908 and
we have report OF his comments
upon that fact. says the Chicago
Chronicle.
He appreciates the compliment
though II is suddenly which. pos
sibIy. he may mean premature BE
that as 1t may. he is quoted as saying
that IL is too early either to make or
discuss political plans for 1908
There certainly is time for a good
many things to happen during the two
years between the nomination by Mis-
souri, and the nomination by the ma
ttonal Democratic convention.
These are times OF hysteria. sham
and real. and things that are said and
done about a nomination for the presi.
dency two years in the future are
liable to become damaged IN cold s,or.
age during the interval. The edlo-
gums recently pronounced by the
penitents Coils watterson and villas
may look silly In June. 1908.
While Col Bryan realizes that n IL
too early for him either TO make or
discuss political plans for 1905. ha
cannot resist the temptation 10 talk.
Possibly the colonies OF the other
metallic persuasion strongly suspect.
ed such would be the case. and that
may account for their otherwise start.
ling eccentrieity in coming forward
so promptly as representatives OF the
Palmer and Buckner gold men and
pronouncing their sonOrOus eulogiums
upon the great apostle OF nc TO l.
They may have had the idea that n
they broke forth into pansgyric Mr..
Bryan would certainly break forth
into speech which is silver. instead OF
maintaining the silence which is gold
en-. and talk himself 20 death before
1908.
II so their expectations are in n fair
way to be realized. Mr.. Bryan GER
tainly has made a good beginning II
the dispatches from Berlin do him no
injustice. He is reported from that
city as praising the Republican re-
formers and exhorting the Republican
party 10 listen to their voice and get
the start of the Democrats In the re-
form business. n the people really
like the sort OF reform now In the air
they will naturally hold fast TO the
party which first takes up the reform
work. II they do not like Il what Hill
become Of Mr. Bryan and the rest Of
the Democratic reiormers.
Mr.. Bryan is further quoted. "My
political career discloses no Instance
where | have abandoned any principle
formerly espoused So far as silver
Is concerned. can only say that
events have fully vlndicated toe POSI-
ton OF the bimetailists."
Now. there Is something for Mr..
Francis and Coils Watterson and Villas
and the Democratic men of affairs In
the east 90 ponder. 10 they think
that Mr.. Bryan has already begun 90
talk too much and is in a fair way
10 get a terrible shaking as Pollpar-
rot did when she said sick em!"
once too often to the dog
In this same dellverance Mr.. Bryan
let's US all know that he not only
stands for bimetallism still. but also
for government ownership and opera
ton OF public utilities on tremen
dous scale He has abandoned no
principle formerly espoused and he
has thoroughly committed himself 70
government ownership.
He attempts 10 make a distinction
between Democracy" by which he
evidently means such ownership. and
socialism. Democracy" he says
Recognizes competition as legitimate
and tries 10 protect the competitive
principle from attack. Socialism sees
competition as an evil 10 be eliminated
By public ownership and operation OF
All means OF production and distribu-
ton
But he nastens TO add that, while
this distinction between Democracy
and socialism should not be over
looked. the Democratic platform must
be one OF progress and reform ana not
merely Of opposition to Republican
policies or sOciailstic ideas"
That is TO say. the Democratic party
should be hospitable 10 socialistic pub
lie ownership ideas in order TO gather
in the votes of half-hedged socialists.
This may be satisfactory to con
servative Democrats" whose sleep IL
disturbed by the specter OF socialism.
but Il will not attract To the support
Of Mr.. Bryan men who care 20 offer
strenuous resistance TO socialistic ten
denotes.
g1Even n Mr.. Bryan's boom should
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