The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-07-18

the average American. his peTboudl-
ity and bis purposes are everywhere
conceded to be above reproach That
is a distinct and very great asset.
Like many other idealists, seeing
many things to be done, he wants
to do everything, and everything at
once. The mistakes he may have
made. however, have been honest
mistakes They belong TO the past
There is no one of us but has his
mistakes to answer for. What Dem
ocrats want to know is this: Have
we Democratic party-or. in case
we have not, but only an apothecary's
jar with mutilated label-can we re-
call the elemnts that once constituted
Democratic party and bring those
to think alike and to feel alike, so
as In 1908 to move on the common
enemy, whether he be Republican,
Socialist favoring special privilege or
a Populistic Socialist, favorng the
commune, both equally at war with
the spirit of American institutions as
these are imbedded in the Constitu-
tion of the United States? If we can
do this, we shall carry the country.
no matter who becomes our standard
bearer. If we can't we shan't."
Can Mr.. Bryan effect the neces-
sary union of issues?"
81 am afraid he cannot. Mr.. Bry-
an and Mr.. Roosevelt are too much
alike. They are too closely assocj-
ated in the public mind Next year
: we need that he issues between the
parties shall be sharply drawn. The
Republican party is the creator of
jtrustism-its high protective tariff,
the father and mother of the trusts.
Historically and actually the Demo-
lcratic party is the antagonist of trust
ism as expressed by corporate rapac-
lty and the. robber tariff, with its
class favoritism. As matter of
fact, high tariff and high finances nv
lcollusion and sympathy go hand in
hand
J Mr.. Roosevelt, for all his ingen-
ulty, cannot erase the leopard's spots
But Mr.. Bryan may disguise the
/ democratic party by series of novel
and shifting expedients, which though
tney draw great lecture audiences. will
urlVe away votes. Some reserve
should be imposed on party leaders n
they do not practice it, Mr.. Bryan
might afford TO gather in fewer re-
turns, whilst upon it's historic record
lIo exchange its character of con.
stitutional opposition for that of q
Socialistic eXperimentalist is to fail
betwiXt two stools.
What the party needs after frs ~
years wandering through the wilder
ness is credit. Mr.. Hearst has put
hlmselt at the head of new marty
called the Independence League. This
will cut into both the older parties
Can Mr.. Bryan hope to undercut its
extremeism? As a Socialist can he
hope to cope with Mr. Hearst? Is not
the line of the constitution a good
line to form on in making a Demo.
cratic campaign against the protective
tariff and in favor of the better reg.
ulation of the railroads and Other
corporations? There is such thinl
as trying to do too much as well a,
doing too little. Paramount issues arC
not made TO order They make them
selves and fit into the situation a,
this is developed out of the woml
Iof time a"
you are not hostile, then, to Mr.
Bryan"
mot in the least On the contrary
! am his friend and would advise hin
TO his own good and To the party
good Personally | am quite out o
It, ! shall not be in the next Dem
remember that there are II month
between now and the nominating con
vention of 1908, and hope that bot
Mr., Bryan and the Democratic part
may grow in wisdom and grace.
Mr. Bryan is bent upon making tn
race, he should quit the lecture plat
, form. That would answer the charg
+ that he Is making money while tn
party is losing strength. He owes s
much of reserve to the position of
/ party leader and candidate for Pres
/ ident
> "a letter defeated Mr. Clay
| sentence defeated Mr., Blaine. Yet MI
{ Bryan is making speeches every da
for great sums of money, and mos
! Imen will agree with Chairman Guffe
} that though he may be able to affor
another defeat, the Democratic part
/ cant. The truth is, for his own SAX
: Mr.. Bryan should begin to conside
. the danger of being placed in the al
[ ,titude of the dog in the manger, III
/, liable to win himself and unwilling fo
/ any other Democrat to win
"And the PLATFORM"
, at should, in my opinion, be shoi
, and breezy. Ii should be so simpl
that he who runs may read. Th
tariff must be reduced TO a revenu
j basis The government has no righ
' either in equity or law, to collect
dollar of taxes except for it's ow
5 support Publicity for the franchis
| corporations The railroads to b
/ reached and regulated through tn
Interstate, Commerce Commission, br
> the law TO be limited TO the superv
sion of their capitalization and thei
. A.. l.,