The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-11-22

publicans give partial Endorsement
to few democratic doctrines. If
the republicans nominate one who
straddles the issue and attempts to
take both sides, it is none the less
necessary for the democratic party
to make an aggressive fight. The ac-
ton of the republican convention may
have is influence in the determining
of the relative availability of demon
cratic candidates, but it ought not to
have any influence in determining the
question whether the one chosen by
the democrats should accept the NOM
nation. If the rank and file of the
democratic party desire Mr.. Bryan to
make the race, he will make it, no
matter who may be the republican
nominee.
at has also been charged that Mr.
Bryan was waiting to ascertain the
chances of victory, ready to run if the
outlook seemed bright or to refuse to
able. This charge, like the other, is
without foundation. No one can esti-
mate the chances of the party in the
next campaign with sufficient accuracy
! to make his candidacy dependent up
on the outlook While democrats have
reason to be encouraged by the fact
that democratic principles have grown
in popularity and that democratic pol
icies are now praised by many who
: denounced them a few years ago, and
while further encouragement is to be
derived from the fact that the demo
cratic party is more united than it
has been for many years, and the
republican party more divided, still
the action of the democratic party
cannot be made dependent upon the
prospect of success. The prospects
now seem excellent, but a democratic
national convention will be held, a
platform adopted and candidates nom
mated whether the prospects are
bright or gloomy, and the party must
make the best fight it can whether
it enters the campaign with fear or
with confidence. Democrats believe
that democratic principles are sound
and that democratic policies are neces-
sary; they should, therefore, indorse
those principles and present those
policies and then select as their can
didates hose who, in their judgment,
will give tie party the greatest as
surance OF success in the campaign
and the country the greatest assur-
ance of benefit in case of victory.
''No man can ask for nomination
as compliment if his nomination
will not benefit the party, and no
democrat would be justified in refus-
ing nomination if his party de-
manded his services, and if the mem
bers of the party believe that Mr..
Biyan's nomination will help the par
ty, its principles and its policies, he
will accept the nomination whether
the indications point to defeat or vic
tory. a defeat can bring no disgrace
where the cause is Just one, but
cowardice would be disgraceful, es
pecially in one who is as deeply
indebted to his party as Mr.. Bryan
is.
"Just a word more. The next cam
paign will be an appeal to the public
conscience. The Investigations have
shown not only the corrupt use of
large campaign funds, but the only
source from which they can be drawn,
namely-the corporations that seek to
convert the government into bust
ness asset. The democratic party
stands for the doctrine Of equal rights
to all and special privileges to none,
and therefore can not promise favors
to favor-seeking corporations. If it
tions, it would be guilty of duplicity,
for it would have to betray the vot-
ers, as the republican party has done,
in order to reward these corporations
as the republican party has rewarded
them. The democratic campaign must
be carried on by volunteers who will
work because they desire the triumph
of democratic ideas. We can not hope
to appeal to the sordid or to buy
the purchasable, even if such course
would contribute toward democratic
success. No one should favor Mr..
Bryan's nomination unless the party
is willing to open its books and show
where its contributions came from and
for what the money is expended. The
republican party ought to be chal-
lenged to conduct its campaign in
this open and honest way, and if the
republican leaders refuse to accept the
challenge, the democrats can well af-
ford to leave the issue with the
public An appeal to conscience is
politically expedient, as well as NOR
ally right, for the conscience is the
most potent force with which man
deals. The national conscience has
already been aroused, and a large
majority of the voters have been
educated to the necessity for real
reform-a reform that will make this
government again government of
the people, by the people and for the
/ people. 1t only remains for the demo-
cratic party to convince the voters
that it can be entrusted with the
work of reform, and nothing will do
more to convince the public than a