The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-01
Bryan as a Point of Cohesion.


 John Sharpe Williams showed the way to substantial Democratic unity of action when he said at the Bryan dinner, that agreement can be reached with MT. Bryan about enough things ito keep the Democratic Party from going to its death or decay" and that "the best chance of cohesion and for cumulative strength lies in the nomin- atIon of Bryan" All this has been ob- yious for some time, and the persistent denial of it by large' number or news papers wearing the Democratic label is one of the most curious features of the Democratic situation. Thus we find the most influential and most aggres- sive party leader, the man most nearly in accord with the great bulk of party actual record of having put up the strongest fight made by the opposition in Il dozen years. daily .berated as abso- lutely certain of defeat should hc be nominated for the Presidency again! Now a belief of thls sort, however un- tenable in the light of past occurrences and future possibilities, may be en- tertained as a matter of private opin- ion, but 1t argues a queer conception of the means of promoting party suc- cess when private opinion IS set above the opinion of the majority. and em- phasis Is laid on grounds of difference rather than on points of agreement MT. Bryan has been defining DSifso- cratic doctrine for a number of years. and his own opinions of what consti- |Ntuted Democratic doctrine have not al- ways been received with unanimous de- light by, his party. any more than MT. Roosevelt's numerous policies" nave the united support of the old-lfne Re- publicans. But as there are certain Republicans agree, including the Presi- dent. so there are certain substantial matters as to which all Democrats agree, including MT. Bryan. If the | Democratic a portion of it which has acquired the habit of looking at Bryan from the wrong end. were 10 cast about for "a few undisputed articles of faith, ouf MT. Bryan's speeches, along with some latter-day applications of ancient prin- ctples. In respect of the tariff, to cite a single example Mir Bryan ad party. If there are Democrats who pro- fess to believe that the tariff is the only question of any importance before the country, and we hear that assertion to limbo party leader cherishing their pet fad, even though he has a few fads of his own? And so we might go on to make up a very respectable platform containing enough things. as MT. Wi:. Hams said, to keep the Democratic Par ty from dissolution.
 MT. Bryan advocates one thing, at all good citizens of whatever party We refer to the proposal that cam paign contributions and the receipts and expenditures of campaign commit tees should be made public. The rais- ing of campaign funds has reached the proportions of a grave national scan- | dal, which ought to be dug up by the | roots. Should he again run for the Presidency, MT. Bryan promises that est basis-no trading of legislation for financial support, no appointments for | cash, no promises of immunity for a | money consideration. Happily. the pros- in this regard than for many years past; nevertheless, 1t will be just as well to press for publicity of campaign 1 contributions and expenditures. MT. matter alone ought to atone for many of the sins his enemies accuse him of Why not try to see the good there is | in Bryan.