The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-03-31
MOST HOPEFUL SIGN OF
DEMOCRATIC VICTORY
Mr.. Bryan Speaks of the Broken Prom
ises of the Republican Party FOR
Reforms and Points Out
Its Weaknesses.

Kansas City, Mo, March 30.-Democrats
from all parts of Missouri to the num-
Der of 1000 attended banquet in Con-
yention hall in this city tonight, under
the auspices of the Young Mems Business
club of this city, at which William j.
Bryan and Judson Harmon of Ohio were
the guests of honor and principal speak
ers and the recipients of repeated ova-
tions from the 1900 persons who throng-
ed the hall Each banquetter paid 81 for
the privilege of attending, even the dis
| tinguished guests insisting upon the DEM
| ocratic prerogative of paying for their
| plates, and the affair proved to be one
! of the most elaborate political feasts ever
! attempted in the state. Democratic clubs
in st. Louis, ST. Joseph and other cities
of the state sent representative delega-
tions to the dinner Amone the guests
were four ex-governors of Missouri-T.
T. Crittenden, David R. Francis, Senator
| William j. Stone and Alexander NJ. Dock
cry, together with the present governor.
Joseph W. Folk
! The meeting was essentially a Bryan
| affair. spontaneous enthusiasm marking
| every mention of his candidacy for the
| presidency.
! The reception accorded Mr.. Harmon
was no less cordial and suggestions prom
Using him high honors from his party
were enthusiastically received.
| Mr.. Bryan spoke in part as follows:
In this great city on the boundary
| line between Missouri, with her rock
| ribbed democracy and the west, which
until 1896. was counted as republican ter
! ritory, we have met to begin the cam
paign Of 1898, and Ia present those prin-
cipes and policies which ought to APP
peal to progressive republicans as well
as to traditional democrats. 1t is only Il
recognition of a fact which is becoming
| clear to all, to say that there is demo-
cratic element in the republican party
to which a successful appeal can be made.
! | might give several evidences of this
| fact. In the first place, what is known
as the Roosevelt sentiment is strong in
| the valleys of the Mississippi and the
Missouri and the Roosevelt sentiment is
not so much attached to a person as de-
votion to an idea with whicl the person
has identified himself. And what is this
idea? 1t Is the idea that conditions are
not what they should be. Before a REM
edy can be applied the need of remedy
must be admitted. For years the DEM
ocratic party has been pointing out the
abuses which have been growing under
republican rule, but those abuses have
been denied by republican leaders and
the country has been congratulated upon
the possession of everything essential to
it's welfare.
Party Self Praise.
t,1nf f,,Il
of fllsome eulogy of the republican party
and barren of promises of reform. Even
| the platform of 1904, upon which President
, Roosevelt was elected, was silent in re-
| gard to government evils and gave no
| hop" of relief. To the surprise of demo-
Gratis and to the surprise of republicans
as well the President Immediately began
| to recommend remedial legislation, taking
as his guide the platform declarations OF
! tie democratic party. He did not follow
| in the footsteps of the democracy out OF
| any desire to compliment the democrats
| or to encourage them. but simply because
| the democrats had pre-empted all ground
| in front and he could not go forward
| without trespassing upon their land 1t
| is not strange that his suggestions were
hailed with delight by democrats and
with Indignation by republicans.
whether the President cultivated a
reform sentiment III tlt TtpuDiitdH party
or only revealed a previously existing
sentiment we shall never know and the
question is not material, anyhow. 1t IS
sufficient that ii is so strong that the
President is praised by the masses Just
in proportion as he assails the predatory
corporations and pleads for reforms that
look to the operation of equity and fair
ness in the government. 1t is proof thar
the sentiment in the republican party 10
not only large, but militant; that the COR
porate interests, powerful as they are.
have not been able to coerce the middle
west into the support of any of the re-
publican candidates who are regarded as
reactionary. This in itself is the most
hopeful sign of democratic victory.
What Prospects of Reform7
Now, what prospect is there that the
republican national convention will sat-
isfy the urgent demands of reform re-
publcans? / venture to predict that no
serious attempt will be made to satisfy
these demands. Two things are necessary
to establish confidence in the intention
of the republican party to repeal its own
laws and to reform the abuses which
have grown out of republican legislation
and administration; and these two things
are, first a platform specifically pledg-
ing the party to clearly defined REFORMS.
and second to the nomination of ticket
composed of men imbued with spirit OF
reform.
IL In the coming campaign the repub-
licans have an ambiguous platform, filed
with glittering generalties and fragrant
with bouquets thrown at the republican
party, a republican president elected
upon it. would be as powerless as the
present President has been. l say power
less for what has the President succeeded
in doing? There are more trusts today
than when he entered the office and he
has never succeeded in getting a law
enacted to strengthen the present law.
He has not succeeding in putting trust
magnate in the penitentary and the only
large fine that has been imposed has
aroused more criticism than comment
among republican leaders. He has not
secured any tariff reform, and yet he
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