The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-04-26

Wye or perish live or die, he Is in
favor OF the Initiative and referendum
and II the democratic party Is not for
the same compound principle, so much
the worse for the democratic party
because, unless the doctrine is &C.
cepted, the democratic party will be
called upon to do without William
Jennings Bryan forthwith and forever.
more.
And the conservative element of the
party has taken serious exceptions to
this populistic doctrine, which was
planted in Kansas and Nebraska in the
days when populism held full sway
The doctrine is declared to be ridi-
culous one by the conservatives. And
there's trouble to pay. G" - i3p &c.
II seems to be an accepted fact that
Mr.. Bryan believes he must have some
paramount issue in order to maintain
his hold upon his party. When he
was in congress his speeches were
dramatically in favor of tariff reform
Then he went to free and unlimited
coinage of silver at sixteen to one. SO
strongly did he cling to this that gthe
national party in st, Louis convention
when naming Gold Democrat Parker
for the national candidate, was forced
by Mr.. Bryan's personal influence to
remain silent with regard to gold OF
silver. All during these days of silver
talk, Mr.. Bryan kept quiet about every
thing else Silver was his paramount
issue. Today, however, he claims that
Roosevelt stole his clothes in railway
regulation and, to go one better, he
came home and launched his govern
ment ownership dream, This met q
cold reception and the very next day
prominent democrats began to dea1
1t hard blows. SO Mr. Bryan retreat
ed. But he has left no road for retreat
in the initiative and referendum doc
trine. This is what he said: ,.
you may differ with me in many
things in regard to party doctrines
but if you do not believe in the capa
city of the people to govern them
selves, which is what the initiative ant
referendum means, l will drive you
out2of theqdemocratic party. repeat
that Twill drive you out of the demo
tratie party, because If the democratic
party does not believe in the rule o.
the people it will have no trouble il
driving me out" ~ ''h' ~ DO. b"
The idea of the initiative and re
ferendum is a preposterous one and |.
recognized as such by prominen
democrats as we'll as republicans
Theabsurdity of submitting every i'm
portant measure that comes along t.
a vote of the entire country is no
only highly impossible but is agains
the spirit of our constitution. 1t was
in order that impulsive action, in tn,
heat of passion, might not control tn,
government that the constitutional
forefathers gave senate between tn,
lower house and laws, and gave t,
state legislatures the right to eiec
United States senator's Even at that
state legislatures only elect one-thirt
of the senate every two years, .a ...
Until this last speech of Mr.. Bryan
thcre seemed little doubt but that h,
might have, had a unanimous nomina
ton by the democratic party for, TIL,
presidential race, but old timers. VIII,
ljha bad d forgiven his head silver issue AM
ESIernmentt ownership theories -hes
!, IF@9ize shat >'even if nomifiated.!1h
NT6hld Nv Beaten Shy anybody if3 h
! persists in this initiative and referer
dun doctrine, as he says he will.