The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-07-11
RApTcALIsM AND REAL REFORM.

Bryan 10 edit the Denver platform
there is little in the action of the con-
vention to encourage the conserva-
tive element. The east did not get a
representative on the ticket, and the
recsgnition given Tammany will not
affect New York, while the rebuff adj
ministered to McCarren is bound to
set that active patriot at work against
the organization. The northwest is
resentful on account of Johnson, and
If either candidate at the head Of the
ticket carries his own state. he will
surprise most people. Bryan lost his
state, county, city. ward and precinct
last time. Indiana is the best organ
lied and disciplined Republican state
in the Union. Kern's candidacy will
have no effect in the middlewest.
Taft will carry Ohio, and Chicago, the
Democratic stronghold in Illinois, re-
belled against Roger Sullivan. whom
Bryan denounced, but was run over
by the Bryan "steam-roller" at Den
yer.
The platform advocates radical
ideas concerning federal control of
corporations that bid fair to brighten
the country again just as Bryan has
done twice before. The little lesson
in finance the country has just had,
emphasizes the delicate and sympa,
thetic relation existing between the
financial and commercial and indus
trial interests of the country. When
one is disturbed everybody suffers. BY
fall the country will have resumed
normal, and Bryan will be taught
that II IS work men want, rather than
anti-iniunction.
Voters at the coming election Will
be asked to considerable promises Of
the two national parties as set forth
in their respective platforms, especial
~ by the Democratic orators. as their
platform promises the most. Were
mere words the end Of II all, that
would end it; but promises impossible
of fulfillment, or disastrous in the
event Of fulfillment, are not what the
American people want or desire
There are many imperfections in our
system of government, some of them
inherent, some capable OF being rem
edied; and both parties recognize the
evils and propose remedies.
To one who sees clearly the evil
and knows a specific, IL is not difficult
to prescribe; but in the complicated
human anatomy and the interdepend-
eat relations of mankind in his social
state, the effect of drastic remedies on
other things must be considered,
and some times the quack and the
crusader are the same thing, and do
more injury than they do good
through their ignorance and inexper-
fence.
Both Bryan and Roosevelt are con-
summate politicians. but no one
doubts the sincere patriotism or un-
DERIVING honesty of either. Both have
been too severely and too publicly
tested TO leave room for any skepti-
cism: but a man may be warped out
of plumb without losing his native in
tegrity, and Bryan has upheld the
losing end OF the presidential PROPOSE
ton for twelve years. During all
that time he has been hostile to the
existing order of things. and at so
we may expect to find him rather fixed
in his point of view, but still with
that Jealous desire to ally every ele-
ment of opposition against the gov
eminent, no matter how uncongenial
they may be.
Mr.. Bryan's platform. one admit
ltedly dictated directly by him, pre-
scribes a specific for every i'll, regard
less of circumstances and conditions
surrounding them, and regardless OF
their extent or harmlessness.
The Republican platform was die
tated by President Roosevelt, but
along lines in which Mr.. Taft was in
thorough accord with him. While Mr..
Bryan has been made more erratical-
ly radical by time and disappoint-
ments. President Rcosevelt's radical
ism has been tempered and modified
by contact with immovable conditions.
He has found that some apparent
evils are the human nature sticking
out everywhere in our popular form
of government, and his crusade
against conditions and those. who
have profited by conditions, has been
changed to pleas to the great mass OF
people to reform matters by starting
with themselves, and the local affairs
over which they have control. Roose-
welt appeals to the people on those
common grounds which every citizen
shares. Bryan deals with the people
as classes, denouncing one and exalt.
ing the other. Taft will bid for votes
from individuals, Bryan seeks to get
them in punches.
The recommendations and promises
set forth in the Republican national
platform, that SAVIOR of reform, are
the result of President Roosavelt's
experience of eight years in the ex-
ecutiye chair. Where he seeks to
have the federal power amplihed. he
has tried the existing remedy and
found II insufficient. When he asks
that the structures be modified, he has
found that they are extreme and in
jure legitimate enterprise.