Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-11-28
BRYANS POSITION TO LIMIT SALOONS todd MURDER CASEI
NOTHING COULD Be FAIRER Than
HIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
Misrepresentation of 1t by Hostile
Papers of Both Parties was to be
Expected. Noticeable Weakening
OF Party Distinctions on Old
Political Lines.

Misrepresentation of Mr.. Bryan's
announcement were to have been ex-
pected from the hostile newspapers
of both parties, for there is no health
in them. But how Mr.. Bryan could
have taken fairer ground than he has
taken is question that fair-minded
adversaries will find some difficulty
in answering. He says in effect, as
plainly as English can express it,
that if the people who furnish the
votes to the Democratic party-irre-
spective of those who only furnish
it with campaign funds with strings
tied to them-if voters of his party
want him for their candidate, he will
accept whether the outlook is proph-
etic of victory or of defeat, but that
he will make no effort to secure the
nomination for himself. When hos
tile newspapers and wire-pulling pol
Nicians and money-puddling finan-
ciers complain of that announcement
as selfish obtrusion by Bryan of
his own personality, they confess that
they are conscious of a spontaneous
and irresistible popular demand for
Bryan's nomination.
Bryan's position is above all hon.
est criticism; that of his critics is
despicable. If they believe in good
faith that there is better man for
the candidacy, let them stop carping
at Bryan and name their man. Who
is it that they think the masses of
the Democratic party would prefer
'if Bryan would get out of the way?"
In truth, there Is nc one, and the In
terests know it. The man they want
they dare not name; for they want a
man who can be relied upon to Nor
ganize the financial and Industrial
machinery of the country, and such
a man would be hopeless before the
people.
OF course the great big fact be-
hind the inspired clamor against
Bryan, is the weakening of party dis
tinctions along old political divisions.
The Democratic masses have learned,
and the Republican masses are learn
ing, what the financial banditti
learned long ago, that the true pol
itical cleavage is no longer Repub-
lican and Democratic party lines. 1t
is between public rights and privi-
legged interests. Mr.. Bryan stands
firmly in spirit (whether in plan or
not is of less immediate Importance
to both sides) against the aggres-
sions of the Interests. For this rea-
son they are against him in the DEM
Ocratic party as they are against La
Toilette in the Republican party.
That they are against him because
his plans may be bad, it would be
folly to suppose. They never fear
public man with bad plans, being ex
pert about plans themselves; but they
do fear a man who has an invincible
moral purpose, as Bryan has. Be
his present plans defective or not, if
his moral purpose is rigid and his
goal the destruction of the parasite
cal game upon which they flourish
and for the perpetuation of which
they seek to control all effective par
ty organizations, they fear him and
hate him and ridicule him and mis-
represent him. This is the secret
of the opposition to Bryan. But
isn't it the best tribute the Interests
could possibly offer ?-The Public,
Chicago.