Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1907-06-13
THURSDAY, JUNE IS, 1907.
EssEMIIALs AND NON.Esssn1IALs


tials and non-essentials. This discus
sion was primarily provoked by the
effort of Mr.. Bryan to introduce two
new issues into the politics of this coun-
try government ownership and initia-
tive and referendum. The controversy
has been quickened and accelerated by
Senator Daniel, of Virginia, and Sen
ator Rayner, of Maryland these two
distinguished leaders of the Democratic
party having denounced Mr.. Bryan's
new doctrines as undemocratic and
as non-essentials.
The Democratic press throughout the
country, and particularly at the South.
and almost solidly in Virginia, takes
sides with Senators Daniel and Rayner.
The Democratic papers approve of the
views expressed by Daniel and Ravner.
and severely criticise Mr.. Bryan for
bringing discord into the party through
the introduction of non-essentials. But
the Nebraskan continues to present his
nostrums to the populace, and the mas
ses OF the party eagerly swallow them
when presented. in complete disregard
of the protests of those who oppose the
great Commoner." The Richmond
Times-Dispatch, the Lynchburg News
and the Roanoke Times are all seriously
agitated. The News says:
1--WE have very high regard for Mr..
Bryan, and share quite earnestly in the
general admiration of his distinguished
attachments. But we do think that had
the great leader conjured I'D some
means by which he might weaken the
Democratic position in national politics.
he could have hit upon a no more eff
fective plan than to drag in the govern
ment railway ownership proposition as
prominent feature of his Madison Square
Garden speech last Summer.
Then why in the name of all that is rea-
sonable did he thrust this 'non-essen-
tiaP to the fore-knowing as he must
have known that it would prove fruit
full source of dissensions and diversions
In the Democratic party?
Mr.. Bryan has been busily engaged for
months IN stirring up and promulgating
his notions upon new and untimely isms.
1t looks as if he doesn't care a rap for
Democracy or Democratic prospects in
so far as such considerations should
make him guarded in disseminating the
advanced notions of Organism.
1t may be possible that Mr.. Bryan is
not as eager to strengthen the ultimate
prospects of the Democratic party as
are those who are clamoring about re-
turn to essentials and fundamentals.
but he has much more intelligent idea
of the means that should be used for ad-
vancing its present prospects. This he
proposes to do by attracting the favor
able notice of the dissatisfied and dis
cordant elements of the country, and bv
naming this or that doctrine as a para
mount issue. He knows more accurate
ly than any leader among the Demo
Gratis the peculiar characteristics and
qualities of the great disorganized mass
of humanity of which the modern Dem
ocracy is composed. 1t was this knowl- |
edge and his wonderful capacity for Or
ganizing and leading mobocracy that
enabled him in 1896 to rally to his ban
ner, the Democrats, Populists, Free
Silverites, Laborites, Socialists and An
archists that were opposing the sound
principles of the Republican party as
exemphied by William Mckinley. Mr..
Bryan knows that all these discordant
elements, which constitute the opposi-
ton to Republican principles, like to be
faxed; and, being a most accomplished
and successful political fakir, he shows
great wisdom in practicing his art upon
the Democracy. He realizes that anv
effort to return to and rely upon what
Senator Rayner and others call essen
tials and fundamentals will bring more
calling defeats to the party. And he
has right to believe that those men in
the party who are now complaining of
his policy of wild theories and strange !
doctrines would today be perfectly con- !
tent with his leadership and his enthusi- !
lstic supporters if he had won, either j
n 1896 or 1900.
Then, Mr- Bryan has proven himself I
much stronger as the champion of nom {
essentials than have those Democrats 5