The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-21
TIE Durr or pnmoclsArs.


 party in the important contest now on in the country. To . large extent 1t Is and should be . partisan campaign. for it cannot well be anything else un- der present conditions. and 1t Is the plain duty of Democrats to stand by their coicrs.
 This is and should be made c light for principles and not for men. There were many thousands of as good and true Democrats as ever lived who did not look on Mir. Bryan as the proper man for the party to nominate. They had reasons for their position which were satisfactory to them and they were sincere. honest and patriotic in their position. More than that. they had . perfect right to express their opinions openly and freely. and to give reasons why they considered 1t best to l select some other man as leader than the man from Nebraska.
 These are seif-evident propositions. and it was iiiiberai and unjust for any of Mir. Bryan's ardent supporters to censure and criticise those who thought differently. and who insisted on the right of any citisen to hold to his hon. est convictions and to express them as all good Americans have a perfect right to do. No one citizen has the right to dictate what another citizen should believe or say in advance of the party's action. That is not the spirit of genuine Democracy. which holds that all citizens have a right to their own opinions prior to the formal action of the party.
 That is ali over now and there should be no more hard feelings and no more unixind references to the past. The Democrats of the whole country have held their convention in the reg uiar and usuaI way. They have put forth ticket and formulated a plat form. and both candidates and plat form now stand for the party. Doubt less there are Democrats who are not thoroughly pleased with the candi- dates or with the platform as a whole, but is it not probable that it they could have had their way in both re- spects they would have displeased oth- ers3 The only possible road to har- mony is through tolerance, concession and mutual yielding of preferences as to men or measures. The majority has spoken and the voice of the majority should be the voice of the whole party. Tn no other way can we hope to ac- compiish results.
 It is not necessary for any Demo crat to play the hypocrite in this mat ter. It is not necessary for one who preferred another to Mfr. Bryan to try to make it appear that he was joking and that Mir. Bryan was always his man. That would not be honest. but 1t is honest and right for all of us 10 say that he is our man now and that wa feel it . duty as Democrats to give the ticket earnest, sincere and honest support. That we can do with out any hypocrisy. without humiiia- ton and without yielding one iota of self-respect or honesty. We must all take the position that the majority has a right to rule and that. having ex- pressed itself. we will all join in the light for success without reference or aIlusion to past preferences or preju- dices.
 There is much more involved in this campaign than a mere light for posi- tion and the ofiices. There are prin- cipies and policies involved which are as vital as free government itself; the same principles in the main for which Democrats have contended for genera tions; and for which they should con- tend as long as there are parties in our government. Democracy is much more than q mere party name. It goes to the root and vitals of constitutional government and in its defence we should never grow weary or slothful.
 
 If matters not how high our opinion of Taft may be as q man. statesman or candidate. He Is a Republican who. if elected, will be bound to carry out and continue Republican policies. We do not look on him as a weak, truck ling coward or a hypoerite. and unless he is one or both he must be a Re- publican President. if elected. with all that the term stands for. He may re- fuse to be the mouthpiece and facto- tum of Roosevelt. and for the credit of the country it is to be hoped he will not be if he becomes President. for the country has had enough and more than enough of Rooseveltisn. and 1t will be a benefit and q relief to be rid of 1t forever.
 But however independent and self reliant Mir. Taft might be as chief ex- scutive he will be bound to carry out the will and the principles of his party and that fact should serve to stimulate and unite all Democrats on MT. Bryan and his cause. Republicanism Is not and has not been best for the country. Whatever there Is of good in 1t the bad