The Washington herald., 1907-09-30
Rrvan and His Party

Editor The Washington Herald:
I have read with some degree of pleas
un your editorial criticisms. from time to
tim. Of William J. Bryan, and regard it
as ahopeful omen that we still have such
j,urnaI as The Washington Herald-a
Journal not blinded by partisan prejudice;
a Journal Independent enough to acknowl-
edge tBe worth of a man, regardless of
what party he may belong TO, or how
much his political views may be at vari-
ance wlta what the editor regards as the
best views to be indorsed by the great
mass of he people It is only through
such fai and independent journalism
that the people can hope to be enlightened
as TO men and measures.
Mr.. Bryan is the only man living to-day
in this country who IS in the public eye
loved and respected-who has been de-
feat, as Presidential candidate. Other
men who have suffered less defeat have
passed out of public view and been for
gotten. Not so with Mr., Bryan; though
twice defeated he has d hold upon the
= affections Of the people the like OF which
few men Of long standing before the pub
men who admire Bryan and who regard
him as a brilliant statesman, who do not
agree with many Of his views, and would
not vote for him for President Of the
United States The people admire Mr.
Bryan because morally and Intellectually
he is a credit 10 the land which gave him
birth, and they glory in pointing TO him
as an American citizen. as an honest man.
IN "a
Democratic nomination as a Presidential
standard bearer is q fact which, il seems
TO me. It is folly for the anti-Bryan
Democratic element TO deny. All he has
10 do is to say he wants it, and put his
forces to work, and the nomination will
be his.
1t is not so much the man that the great
mass Of the American people look to in
a Presidential election. as It Is what the
man stands for, and is pledged to carry
out. and for this reason IL seems TO me
that while it may be interesting and even
inspiring for Democratic leaders to dis
cuss the best man for the nomination, the
result will be the same no matter who
the Democratic nominee may be. While
the Democratic party as at present con-
stituted does not seem TO stand for any
thing in particular. but is just a party
peoples ears with any kind of tune to
which the people will dance there is a
well-defned idea entertained by the peo-
pie as 10 what would be the result Of a
Democrats victory. We remember that
within the past fifty years the great"
Democratic party has succeeded in elect
ing one man as President, and the result
of that experiment is still fresh in the
minds Of the people. Il was during the
brief regime Of this great party that
the country Was cursed with that finan-
cial panic which ruined many business
men and paid thousands Of workingmen
and women off in scrip. which they were
forced to discount at 70 cents on the dol
lar. It was during this brief reign that
We had that unprecedented and (many
claim UnWarranted bond issue.
Il is the cold chills which creep over
our people at the thought Of what hap
pened during the brief period Of one Dem
ocratic President in fifty years which
cause the people 10 hesitate and seriously
reflect on their way to the polls.
There is, too. a very strong suspicion
that the Democratic party is not telling
all when It advocates tariff revision. -
tariff Tor revenue only" or the "elimina-
ti0n of certain things from the list Of
protected articles. but that a complete
Democratic victory would mean absolute
unadulterated free trade In my opinion
the people Of this country, especially the
working classes. VIII never support a par
ty 70 which a suspicion of free trade
attaches.
. Mr.. Roosevelt has said that he will not
stand Tor another election. Mr.. Roosevelt