The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-04-28
VIEWS or A BRYAN DEMOCRAT.
The Thrice Defeated Leader Owes II to
His Followers Not 70 Retire.

To THE EDITOR or THB SUN-Sir: You
| are 80 thoroughly committed to the opposi-
ton OF Mr.. Bryan that II would be q matter
Of presumption to address to you a Word
I'm HE favor il one could not confidently
rely on THE SUNS spirit Of fairness 10 give
both sides a hearing aud even Mr., Bryan
his due.
II has been frequently urged OF late by
several papers and numerous individuals mat
Mr.. Bryan should retire from the running In
favor Of Governor johnson or, somebody
else who peradventure might lead a united
Democracy to victory. The writer Of course
has no access to Mr.. Bryans inner conscious
/ ness and IL therefore unable to say Just what
may be the motives that are controlling him.
But whatever may be his motives or personal
feelings, there are some obvious facts which
en- outside observer must consider. and which
Mr.. Bryan In ell human probability has also
taken note Of and given due weight In de-
Gliding on his course Of action.
Mr.. Bryan, by the events OF the past twelve
years, has established q certain relation
with about six million voters, a relation
which Is very real, very vital aud largely
personal. When IL comes to the question OF
retiring from the running In favor OF some
other man, Mr.. Bryan as an honorable man
would have no conceivable moral right 20
Ignore this relationship and the duty which
IA laid upon him by virtue OF this relationship,
, Mr.. Bryan, either by his own volition or by
the force Of circumstances, has been placed
In a position where these millions OF men
4 look to him for the accomplishment Of their
] political aspirations and ideals. This being
true, Mr.. Bryan's personal feelings or am
billions are quite beside the point. He has
no right to retire until he gets his discharge
from these millions Of voters whom he has
represented,
As one Of these millions, the nameless and
obscure, ] should feel personally that Mr..
Bryan would be traitor to the cause he'has
represented il he should listen to the advice
which is so freely offered and decline in ad-
vance 10 accept the nomination. In other
words, Mr.. Bryan's personal feelings, am
billions, or inclinations do not enter into the
question at all, but simply his duty to the
men he has represented. And from this
point OF view his conduct in 1901 may be
open 20 criticism but his conduct in 1908
is not.
II | may still further trespass upon the
patience and space OF THE SUN | should
like to say just a word Of what Mr.. Bryan
represents to these six millions and more
~ AOoN W I'M W lhAIll NiNlA pollNl'uA aSRAAo
tions and ideals. ! find a very general mis-
conception OF what Mr.. Bryan really stands
for. Bryan Democracy is supposed TO be
the summation Of all political madness and
wickedness-by the people who have never
taken the trouble to find out just what II r..
II IA supposed to be free silver or Government
ownership Of railroads or something else.
And il may or may not involve or include
these things according to circumstances. but
these things il certainly is not. The heart and
soul Of the Bryan movement. the one thing
that those six millions and more do really mean
and mean most intensely and all the time.
has found its best and cOmpletest expression
In the Declaration OF Independence and
LinColns speech At Gettysburg. However
much we may like TO disguise the fact aud
talk about strict construction" and loose
construction being the only bases OF cleav-
aye between political parties In the United
States, the fact remains that the one siRnif-
cant question before Us to-day, and the most
vital question in the history OF the nation,
Is the question Of oligurchy and democracy
Can any sane, intelligent man who knows
the history OF the Republican party since
it became welded TO the tariff doubt that il
has moved away from the sublime conception
Of Lincoln to the government Of the few !
II is the fashion Of the day to laugh at dsm-
ocrsCy and to speak Of the 'peepul. " but
We Bryan Democrats go back more and more
to the greatest Of Americans. ii not indeed
the greatest Of men, and by his spirit are
dedicated to the task for which he gave his
life. that government Of the people. by the
people, for the people, shall not perish from
the earth.
Sensible both Of the sacrifice which had
already been made for this cause and OF the
grandeur OF the ideal, We should consider il
both an impertinence and a PROCLAMATION for
Mr.. Bryan TO obtrude any personal considera-
lions in the campaign. His duty la to serve.
II he is called upon 10 lead, he pas no right
to decline the leadership.
A BRYAN DEMOCRAT.
NArrCK. Mass April 20.