The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-30

patch from Washington in which South ern Democratie Congressman is quoted as saying: We will send a delegation from our state instructed for MT. Bryan, but they will also be instructed to vote for a platform to which there can be no Dem says that men prominent in the party be- lieve there should be repudiation of gov ernment ownership and the initiative and referendum.
 What Bryan Means.
 ''If it Is true, as stated by the Register. that Bryan and Alabama democracy mean the same thing, thousands of thoughtful and earnest Democratic voters of Ala bama will want to know what Bryanism means. If Bryanism and democracy are synonymous, what is Bryanism? Some years ago it was the free coinage of silver on the basis of 16 to 1. More recently It was government ownership of railroads, and the initiative and referendum, pop ulistic and radical departure from the form of representative government de- vised by the founders of the American constitution. MT. Bryans last political pronunciamento meant to solve the rinan- eial problems of the day, is the guarantee by the United States government of de- posits amounting to SIP GOO 000.000 in all of the national banks of the United States. utSt dit SOlllt OI liit tiifleS tHai pi anism has meant In addition, it has meant the domination for more than de- cade of a great party by a brilliant man who tolerates within his own party no difference of opinion: who believes Gas the Register has stated) that Bryanism Is democracy. and that no democrat, how ever able, useful and high-mlnded he may be, is entitled to participation in the counses of the party unless he has a patbo1iN fat wisdom of all the policies which MT Bryan has advocated and for which he may here after stand. If Bryanism and democracy are synonymous, then thousands of citi- zens who though they were democrats be- cause they believed in the teachings of Jefferson and Jackson and in the great traditions of the party, will have to con- slider anew whether they are still dem ocrats with each fresh theory from the infallble leader.
 Not Invincibe as Leader.
 "It may be, as stated by the Register, that Bryan is invincible within the party It is certainly true that he has not been invincible in his appeals as a nominee of the party to the voters of the United States. It would seem to be time for the democrats to look for man who Is not merely invncible within the party but for a man who may win In the country. and whose nomination will tend to strengthen and build up the party. In 1896 Mir. Bryan's marvellous eloquence captured the party, and in the subsequent campaign he apparently stirred the na- ton. In 1900 MT. Bryan and the party lost ground. If 1t is true that the occu- patton of the presidential office by one man for more than two terms is a menace to the welfare of the nation. it would appear to be also true that the nomina- ton of one man by a great party for more than two unsuccessful campaigns would seem to be a menace to the well fare and prosperity of that party
 Tt is unfortunate if true as stated by the Register, that the state conven- tion is pledged in advance to MT. Bryan. Discussion and counsel among democrats in advance of the convention would seem to be valuable in the selection of nom- inee. In advance of the convention all democrats are entitled to their opinion aa to who the nominee should be, and should have the courage to express them. While it is disappointing to those of us here who believe in the selection of some other nominee than MT. William Jennings Bryan, that the expression of our opin- ion should earn the disapproval of the Mobile Register, this deplorable result will not deter us from expressing to the voters of Jefferson county our conviction 
 suit in still further weakening the party; and would prolong the financial distress which has shut down most of the smoke stacks in Jefferson county and thrown out of employment thousands of our best wage earners. We believe MT. Bryan's nomination would inflict a direct pecuni- ary loss upon wage earners, salaried men and business men of Jefferson coun- ty, in common with practically all other citizens of the United States. If Bryan ism is democracy the prospect of it's suc~ cess will not tend to restoration of business confidence and to the suggestion quoted in he Age-Herald advocating the nomination of MT. Bryan on platform repudiating government ownership and the initiative and referendum 1 would say that 1t would be a cowardly straddls to nominate Bryan on an anti-Bryan platform. If Mr. Bryan is nominated he will be his own platform, and will win or lose upon his own personality. 1 am opposed to MT. Bryan, opposed to his platform, and opposed to his dominating influence upon the democratic party. As a democrat I shall exercise the privilege of expressing these sentiments until Mir. Bryans nomination. while the Mobile Register so confidently predicts. If he
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