The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-22
tWilliam jennings Bryan III the
f Nav vpf.ls World.

New York WOrld.]
Accepting your kind invitation to
define a democrat, l beg to say that
tho subject may be considered from
two staildpoints. First. from n party
standpoint, Democrat may be defined
rs one who Is member OF the organ
ization known as the Democratic purity.
a nuns connection with a party is VOL
,,ntary. He Is at liberty to connect
himself with any. party or with no
party, md he Is known politically, y, by
himself with tho Democratic party and
votes the Democratic ticket he Is on
titled to be called n Democrat, III SO
designation, although he may not in
dorse all of the party platform or We
democratic in his instincts. If In addi-
tion to voting the Democratic ticket
the party no ono can dispute his title
to the appellation Democrat when the
subject Is viewed from, the standpoint
Of party. "A party organization has
its own platform, and to nominate It's
own cand dntcs; and. employing the
word Democrat In party, sense the
party has right to withhold the name
accept the party's decision without
questioning the right of q person 70
leave his party organization at the
command Of his conscience and ms
he cannot take the party name = With vi !,
him IL he dissents from the opinions
and acts Of the majority. of the party,
for the rule Of the majority Is as fnuch
n part of party government, as 1t is
part OF our theory Of government.
| Men upon the outside may claim 70
be mora democratic than men on the
inside Of the portyN "a c,,n uhd Ia,,,o q
e erat't they may may be1nnd yet from q
PARTY standpoint their claim cannot
be allowed without the obliteration OF
party distinctions.
From Party Standpoint.
If then. by your question, What Is a
Democrat? yo,, mean to ask for a def
/ milton considered from party stand-
! point would say that Democrat is
one who considers himself memner
works with the Democratic orEanlza-
ton and who expects to vote the Dem.
CORA tic ticket. do not mean to say
t t!on G Re YOU'D Wouid BIND himself noraliy
or politically to indorse any platform
that might be adopted or support any
candidate who might be selected' 10 tor
conscience Of each voter; but when
say that he expects to support the
ticket. mean that he desires to &c
so and will do SO unless good and
refusal I may add that his member
ship in the Democratic party cannot
be thoroughly democratic unless nc
considers other members equally en-
5 titled with him to voice In the par.
! TVS deliberations and to an influences
in the party's management. No intelli.
party with the ,expectation that h'
Will agree upon all subjects with every
member of the party. but he ought tt
expect to agree with other member!
on the general policy of the party. ant
be willing to confer on equal term
with other members as to details am
methods content that the voice of tn.
majority shall be the voice of the part.
unless the majority violates some, fun
damental principle or demands of hin
4 the surrender Of a conviction.
I "Onc Who Believes in the Rule Of tn
People,"
: calls for a broader consideration Of tn
a entitled to the name, it must be, tru
: to the ideas of democracy. and If y,
nitions Will define a Democrat a
s one who believes in the rule OF tn
people The word ra dsmoerdcy tb is de de
words demos ne the people5 and Tx
Ito rule) leave no doubt that demos
$ racy, is a government in which tn
n people rule. Democrat. therefor
= if the, meaning Of the name is cor
u sidered must be ono who believes !
; the rule OF the people.
This view of the subject is sustai ne
l
j. time before his death, in a letter I
Mr.. Lee he said: Men by their cor
'e stltutions are naturally divided int
= two parties; first, those who fear an
w all power from them into the han6
n o, the higher classes; second. thos
- who identify themselves with the pee
Ia and consider them as the most WI:
depositarS OF the public interests.
at every country these. two parties eSis
8. and in every one where they are fre
" to think; speak and write. they wi
In declare themselves" Then speaking
"a the various names which had bee
- applied IN different countries to the
70 lation Of aristocrats and democrats
he Of ALL"
n Ari.tocratt nnd Democrats.
It will be seen that jefferson US
the word democrat to distinguish tho
It's the word aristocrat to describe tho
who fear and distrust the people, a
g no one can torture the word delnocr
n into into, any Other meaning or apply,
tinction which Jefferson points out.
What Jefferson said was true at t
H. time he said It, and 1t is as true t
Dana day These two parties are to
n. by what name they are known tn
~ represent the two clements in socie
We nose VINO trust the people are ever
e. where endeavoring to bring the 90
% ernmcnt nearer to the people, and
yer make 1t more responsive to the w
., Of the people. Those who distrl
~ the people arc everywhere endeavc
III ing to obstruct each new step toWH
popular government.
" We have in this country tho d
he tinction which Jefferson pointed o
and from tho earliest time have h
'a1 among our inhabitants both the ar
full tocrat and tho democrat. HamIlt
represented the aristocratic idea
his day, and proposed plan OF &c
eminent which provided for a Pre-
md dent holding office curing good
~. havior, for Senators holding Office d,
- Ing good behavior. ana for Govern,
m appointed by the Federal governing
& and holding ONCE during good
havior. Hamilton dlstrusted the p
pie and wanted to remove the e
~ ernment as far from tho people
on- possible He feared the passions
lily the multitude" "the influence OF
On mob" etc, etc We have some too
in who take Hamilton as their ideal
who. like Hamilton, distrust the y
pie and seek to build complicated 3
toms OF representation, between
Jew people and their public servar
.ry. These. however, do not represent
~, mass OF the voters In any party,
20 can only be successful whom they