The sun., 1908-06-03
saYAN AND DIN aEFHnsNDUar.
ono VINO Thinks rms Eaectisn siisht Revive
the Menace OF Know Nsthlnsism.

t5O HaUuACC VI hnVW svNss-HADs1sf-s
To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-sir: The
| prospect now 10 that Mr.. Bryan win not have
the walkover for the Democratic Presidential
nomination that his friends have anticipated,
Up TO q few weeks ago the Opposition 20 him,
though quito general In many partA oi the
country, was iinorsanized and without tead-
ers. But the appearance Of Governor John.
son as an opposing candidate has put very
different aspect on affalrs. and the general
favor with which bis entry into the canvass
has been received Ia az gratifyins 70 the friends
OF constitutional and conservative govern
ment 90 t Ia distasteful 10 the radical elements
Of the party. II is now evident that the race
10 not to 20 entirely by default, and II reYains
to be eeen whether the Nebraskan win be abia
to maintain the lead he has IN theshoineA
stretch, upon which he 10 now entering.
Governor Johnson has already shown him.
self to be discreet and tactful leader, and
the conservative Democrats who short time
ago were disposed TO content themselves with
silent diseust for Q candidate whom they
could not support. and await the inevitable
downfall Of the party under the standard OF
q twice defeated aspirant. have awAkened to
the fact that there 10 yet hope OF victory
under the colors of one who has twiec carried
a Republican State into the columns Of tho
Democratic party.
Ever since his return from Europe Mr..
Bryan has been touring the country In the
interest Of his third candidacy. addressing
State Legislatures. town councils, college
societies and church meetings on all sorts OF
subjects, but with one purpose. that OF win
ming by his orstory the votes OF the party.
He has doubtless succeeded to some extent.
but although he has won the piaudits Of many
of his hearers BY the foods Of his eioquenoe.
he has failed to convince the thouRhtful.
patriotic man who form large portion Of the
Democratic party OF his fitnsss for the high
est ofice In the gift Of ths people.
These men believe that President OF the
United States should possess other gifts than
the mere power Of defamation, and while
they admit that Mr.. Bryan may be q "peer-
less orator" they ask what he has done that
the Democratic party should now nominate
him for the third time for Q position that the
American people have twice refused to best0w
upon him. His friends claim In their enthu-
siasm that he In the one Democrat upon whom
has fallen the mantle of Thomas Jefferson.
but II he 10 to be Judged by the doctrines he
breaches It Is not the mantle Of Jefferson the
Democrat that adorns his shoulders, but that
Of PETER the Populist.
In 1899 the Populist party nominated
Weaver for President. and in its platform
were these planks
Transportation being . means OF exchange and
a public necessity, the Government should own snd
operate the railroads In the interest OF the people
That recommend 10 the favorable consideva-
ton of the people and 10 the reform press the log
isiatlve system known the Initiative and refercns
dun.
1t has been stated that Mr.. Bryan In that
year voted for Weaver In preference to Cieve-
land. who was the successful Democratic
candidate. Be that as 1t may, four years
afterward. In 1899, Mr.. Bryan was 10 acceptab BILE
to the Populists that they nominated him
as their Presidential candidate, and again
In 1900 he. was nominated by that party. In
each Of these elections Mr.. Bryan was also
the nominee of the Democratic party, and
was beaten by Mckinley each time.
We see now where Mr. Bryan got his twin
hereses. the initiative and referendum and
Government ownership. the enunoiation of
which 90 shocked the Democratic leaders
who had assembled IN Madison Square Gar
den to welcome him on his return from
Europe In 1909.
The first Of these. the initiative and refer
endum. he has recently advocated before |
several Of the State Legislatures. and the |
State conventions Of Ohio and several other |
States which have instructed for him have |
announced their approval Of this doctrine. |
doubtless through his influence. Il
He still believes In Government oWnerahip 1
Of railroads. and II he were elected President
IL would be his sworn duty to carry out his |
views on this subject by recommending 20 |
Congress the legislation necessary to enforce |
them.
MIR. Brysn's candidacy is an appeal to che |
country to abandon the representative form |
Of government adopted by the trainers Of our |
Constitution for the nation, and upon which |
all our State Governments are modelled |
except Oklahoma and Oregon, and to subsei- |
tute, for II form Of pure democratic govern
ment in which all legislation shall be enacted /
not by the representatives Of the people but 1
by the people themselves.
Such legislation would necessarily be the l
result not OF calm and deliberate discussion /
after patient investigation but Of the momen- |
tary impulses Of the populaoe inhAmed by tho |
passions Of the hour. History presents many |
instances Illustrating how easily the masses /
Of the people may be led sstray by the sp- |
peas of demasogues to their preJudices.
The fierce democracie" OF Athens banished |
Themistocles and condemned Socrates to |
drink the cup Of hemlock, and the greatest l
tragedy in the history Of the world was the I
result OF referendum to the people CT Jeru-
salem. who demanded the release Of Barab abbas
and the crucif1xion Of Jesus Christ.
In this-country we have had some experiences |
as to the facility with which the people may
be led astray. Had the initiative and refer |
endum been In force In the days Of Know
Nothin gism our Catholic and foreign born \
citizens would have been disfranchised In
many OF the States. In 1854 the Know 1
Eothings carried Maryland and Delaware: In
IhaobdCuubGttBt
shire. Rhode Island and Connecticut, and |
elected Governors In Kentucky and California.
At that time. II the matter had been sub |
mitted to the direct vote Of the people Of those
States, all foreign born and all Catholic citi- |
zens would have been deprived OF the right |
to vote in those States.
Mr.. Bryce In his American Common |
wealth. commenting on this hnovemsnt that |
at one time threatened to sweep over the |
country with resistless force. says:
The Americans are a ehangsfui people. The
native American. or 40 called Know Nothing parsy |
had In two years become tremendous force and |
seemed likely 70 carry ts Presidential candl- |
date In three years more II was dead. Without
hope OF revival.
Nothing but the fact that under the dslib- |
crate form OF q representative government !
time 10 necessary TO bring about legislation l
50 we'd the Catholics and foreign born citizens |
from disfranohisement II the question could |
have been submitted 10 the direct vote Of the |
people OF those States while the iron was |
hot tho right OF suffrage would have been |
wrested from all but native born and non |
Catholic Americans.
Mr.. Bryan 10 now urging all the States 10 |
adopt the initiative and referendum.