The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-12-27
pfAloC1ATC DlSCOaDs NND DANGERS.

DfA.oCGANC DlSCOaDS ND DANGERS
The new programme 90 outlined
| by certain New York newspapers Is
/ that the South should unite with The
/ Westto nominate Bryan and then
! join the East in constructing 1 plat,
/ form at variance with the Nebraska
version Of Democracy TO this Mr.
John Sharp Williams lent some
! color in bis dictum about the polit-
cal situation the other day. The
South, said he, will Be- for Bryan
and is willing to unite on Bryan, it
be will do like other candidates, and
run on the platform as it is made
and not as he would make it. .'-Vir-
ginian Pilot.
The situation roints to the same
discordance that forced itself to the
front in the national conventions Of
1900 and 1904, In the former the
convention wanted to gum shoe"
away from l6 to |, and Bryan
wouldn't have it. -Four years later
the same tactics were favored at st.
Louis. The convention sought to
got back to 'the safe and sane" by
implication; and Parker demanded
affirmation Of the fact. Perhaps
there is charm in the third effort
to harmonize the platform and the
nominee. But We doubt it ~ Bryan
is not man to yield. The Demo
cratic leaders Of sagacity perceive
this--that the man is imperious and
dictatorial to the last degree. And
the way they are seeking to adapt
themselves to his apparently inevi-
table nomination is a pathetic spec
tacle to behold.
The Democratic convention may
put the new program" through
In the meanwhile there is a.
more immediate peril to be averted
BY the leaders. II is suggested in
the following from q Washington
press correspondents letter:
It has been universally assumed
that the troubles in the business
world have improved the chances
Of the Democrats for success next
year. II has also been assumed that
their chances will be further improv-
ed in direct proportion a. business
troubles grow still more serious.
This is q just view so far as it goes,
but II does not go far enough. That
which it leaves out Of consideration
is the question whether the currency
issue, BY exposing Democratic no
tions Of banking and finance which
are in many instances much worse
than the silver fallacies Of 1896,
49, ~
will not renew the old distrust Of
the Democrats enough to Offset the |
-defections which the Republicans
will inevitably suffer through being |
in power at . period Of depression.
In the phrase Of John Sharp Will |
liams, it is q question whether the
people will not still be found more
"afraid Of the Democrats" than
tired of the Republicans
Mr.. Bryan is held largely respon-
sible for the financial absurdities |
which are heard in Democratic cloak |
rooms. Although it seems difficult
TO believe that Nj. Bryan would
stand sponsor for some Of the ideas
that are put forward, there is nm
fortunately only too much ground
for the responsibility thus laid upon
him. During the week he has been
busy talking over the currency |
question both with senators and
representatives. It is signi6cent
that some Of the widest schemes
arc put forward BY men who have
been in close conference with the |
Democratic leader, while other
Democrats with minds Of their own
have bean outspoken in private in |
expressing their belief in Nj. Bry-I |
~ ignorance of the very elements
" fnancs. ID regard 70 Mr. Bry-l
~ scheme ol ! national guarantec|
fund y pFotsct depositofs 10 nation
y bGnks ~ interesting fact y
wCrth disclosing ut Presidsnt|
Roosevelt himself ~ ben vsry
stronrly taken With ~ sslns plan,
as1 u X 3S1t Fs ss5f lsyt " y \