The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-12-19
bryan and His Party.

Senator Daniel was not happy In ex-
preston when he charged Bryan with
trying to be bigger than his party. Ii
would be more correct to say that
Bryan trimmed the Democratic party
to his capacity and then swallowed 1t.
To-day he controls what is left of the
party as absolutely as if he were king.
There are few, lamentably few.
Democrats who, like Daniel, have the !
nerve to stand up before the G-taf
Commoner and speak their minds. but
most Of them permit him TO do az he
will and blindly follow whereve- be
may lead.
The Peerless One" might find OBJ
stacles In his path If the men who still
call themselves Democrats, although
opposed to Bryan, could join hands
with the many thousands whom Bryan
has driven out of the fold, and make
intelligent warfare on him, but most
of these apostates have formed new
and lasting alliances. In the absence
of any possible succor from the outside,
the small minority Of Democrats ind
little to encourage them, and indeed
they appear to have arrived at the con-
yiction that Organism Is a disease
which can be destroyed only by its own
activities They hope 1t win wear IT.
self out Meantime they must conserve
their energies and abide the day when,
purged of Organism, the Democratic
saoy ~frr ff. 20 ~ ~
proud prestige.
That the old leaders despair Of &c
complishing anything next year Is
proved by the attitude of Senator Dan
lei, Henry Watterson and others. They
realize that except Mr. Bryan takes a
positive stand against his own nomina-
ton, there will be 10 opposition worthy
Of name
He has declared that he win not
seek the nomination, but Will let the
Democrats decide. Yet he knows, as
every other politician knows, that his
friends, who are in absolute control OF
the party machinery, are quietly plan
ming his nomination. and that while
this condition exists there can be only
one outcome
If Mr. Bryan was less an egotist, he
might be accused Of playing the dog
in-the-manger'' act But we are firmly
OF the opinion that be regards himself
as the man of the hour, He sees signs
in the political heavens that no other
man sees. He has been industriously
preparing himself for the battle. He
has been trying on" issues to learn
how the people would take them I'm
mediately on his return from Europe.
he proposed that the government should
own the interstate railroads and the
States the interstate railroads. 0byi-
ously he intended this for the lever
whereby to lift himself into the high
seat which he has so long coveted But
the people protested. Even the rank
and file of his own party rejected the
proposition with vehemence And Mr..
Bryan very promptly pigeon-holed 1t.
showing that he had not advanced Ii
from principles sake, but rather for
the same reason that an old and expert
enced fisherman will try new bait when
the old bait fails.
Since then he has been proceeding
more cautiously, feeling his way lest
he again stumble, but always keeping
the goal in sight 1t may be that his
whole program is tentative, and that
at the last moment he may retire from
the field. 1t Is not impossible that the
mGth-eaten creed he has recently pro-
mulgated, touching tariff. trusts and
finance is merely one Of convenience to
carry him slorg until such time as he
! may arrive at q decision rs to his can
dldacy, but If this is the situation II
means that Mr.. Bryan mas no hope OF
winning unless the financial sky Is
overcast and industrial depression
drives the masses TO follow strange
gods. In that event. the country may
be treated to another dose of free sill
yer argument, for Mr. Bryan has never
repente.d OF that heresy-Toledo Blade.