The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-22
WHAT is a DEMOCRATS.
Mr.. Bryan, Twice Candidate Of the Democratic Party
for President, Answers the Question
From His Standpoint.

'VSAo sAAS SGuSosiShi
Standpoint.
| RESOLUTIONS spent sixteen hours on the
lu0l platform, this was one qnestlon
aHn Mhleh tse sy was a no e uH's Hardly
claim to be democratic In Ms ideas
anu vet oppose the popular election OF
United States Senator's.
Initiative and referendum.
There, Is a question, however, upon
which there Is at present division OF
Epn9n anong mae y
the, system is sometimes called, direct
legislation. These terms are used to
/ describe the system which gives to the
/ people larger control over their own
affairs by permitting. them to vote di>
rectly on propositions submitted to
them This reform, will not abolish rep
resentatives, but It will enable tho
into obed ence to the popular will AS
the subject. Is better understood, it's
harmony with democracy Will become
no doubt. that the time will come when
the people will understand the subject
Of direct Legislation MS we'll as they
and then It viii be as diflcult for q
Democrat to oppose the former as it
now is to oppose the latter.
while 'ns,t the application Of the doctrine
made to the city first and to the State
nfterward. the principle applies Just as
well to the national government as to
are IKE question eH s sha tse
pie rule? And that question Is as vital
IN the government Of the nation as In
he government Of q state, county or
equal position Of the states must be
respected, and it Is absurd to talk OF
the small States being overwhelmed by
application Of " the Initiative and
referendum to national questions favor
| It with the undcrstandn that the poo
Pile of a majority Of the States, AS wei II
az majority Of all the people, must
Individual Left Free.
One who believes in the right Of the
people to rule and In tho capacity OF
the people for self overnn,ent ma
+ turally accepts the fundamental Dem
ocratic doctrine Of local self-govern-
Is that the people
7 conditions. The Democrat believes
;. that the Individual should be left te
Ss sc hn wGu sec
= others that each community, should
r attend to its own matters: that the
State SHOULD have control Of state snas1 Z
e ment should be supreme IN It:
Q sphere.
d II man is really democratic in sen
r timent, thatis II he really believes il
: the rule Of the people. this belief dom
t inate7 him in the cons deration of al
c queztions that come before the people
G9Ke 81 th e. whoe People G and
: conception Of society is that 1t is.,buil
y9 the bottom not from the t2f
y ty as dripping down to the masse
o from the well-to-do the democrat can
$ not imagine a prosperity that does no
d begin with the producers Of wealth.
d The 1905 Dcscrtions.
e There are those who are constantl
, and consistently democratic. and Their
m spots; there are those who apply dem
ocratic principles to oil questions, m
&c there are those who apply democrat
n to be the purpose Of those who en-
,e gage In educational work to- enlarg
is the number OF questions o,swhic
70 Is hardly worth while to waste tim
a. upon one who is really arlstocrat1
as ir sentiment.
e. out Of him until he has a change I
20 heart, but it is possible to show re:
20 Democrat that he has failed to app
c. Democratic principles to particult
question In 1895 81 perso,
n Democrats. Some Of them were arl
In tocratic in sentiment, and their depar
ure was perfectly natural. They ha'
co not come back, and they will not co n
. back so long as the Democratic par
- Is democra tic, but a far greater nun
-, y der of those who left US IN 1895 lie
70 from misunderstanding. Most Of the
w have come back, and the rest VIII con
Sc are really Democratic in their fund
~ mental IDEAS, and to these we can q
sh peal If the Democratic party convinc
Sc them that it can be trusted to carry o
In Democratic principles.
st, The Broad Platform.
III To recapitulate. Democrat. accor
OF ing to party definition, Is man "
en- connects himself with the Democrat
.se party and acts politically with tho
oil who bear the same party name. In
IS broader sense. he Is q Democrat "
zee believes in the rule OF the people q
who desires to make the goVernme
the instrument in the hands OF t
,ed people to carry out their VIII. Such
:, SO man trusts the people and favors 81
nd REFORMS as will give to the people
ose increasing power. And a real De1nocl
nd will not only favor democratic methe
1t right OF the majority to rule, but y
Is favor the administration Of the, 6
:. ernment in tho interest OF the(wn
the people, according to the Jeffersonl
To- maxim, Equal rights to all and spec
De privileges to none.
Ter If attempted to apply these delll
-, lions to particular questions ! "o
~. .y enter the field OF controversy, put
~ not understand that there IS or can
yui one is democratic when no trusts
49, naonle and undemocratic when he g