The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-11-20
Bryan and the Herald.

UNDERSTANDING, III ueSpdlrlHB euorI W
save the face of Bryan and the Democ-
racy. The points which it thus develops,
so far as they require further notice, are
the following:
REPUBLICAN CREDIT TO BRYAN.
Says the Herald:
"There is scarcely Republican news
paper published in this country within
the last two weeks that has not praised
Mr.. Bryan for his principles.
If any Republican newspaper has
"praised Mr.. Bryan for his principles,
it would naturally be supposed that our
neighbor would seize the opportunity
to republish this praise, verbatim, and
call attention to its source. But nothing
of this kind has appeared in its columns.
We have fair acquaintance with the
leading Republican newspapers in this
part of the country, but have not observed
anything of this nature in the columns of
any of them. Some of them have given
Bryan credit for zeal, sincerity, and clean
discussion of campaign issues, with
earnestness, eloquence and courage in
maintaining his views in the face of
strong adverse popular opinion. But
this implies no praise of the principles
which he advocated and if our neighbor
can show anything beyond this, its pub
lication would be helpful to the BRYAN
cause.
THE MATTER OF FREE SILVER.
The Herald rehashes the mouldy ro-
nance that represents Senator Platt, of
New York, as debating the gold plank
in the Republican platform of 1896, and
threatening Mckinley with defeat unless
it was adopted. For months previous to
the Convention, Platt vigorously de-
nounced McKinley's candidacy as i'm
possible; declared that he could be
neither nominated or elected and op-
posed his nomination to the last. But
on reaching st. Louis, just previous to
the Convention, he found McKinley's s
nomination settled, and the financial
plank of the platform, declaring for the
gold standard, already framed, on the
basis of draft sent by Mckinley through
Gov. Foraker, who had been designated
by the Ohio delegation as the Ohio mem
Der of the Platform Committee. In its
completed form, this plank was the work
chiefly of Foraker and Herrick, of Ohio,
Merriam, of Minnesota, Kohlsaat, OF
Chicago, Fairbanks, of Indiana, and
Lodge, of Massachusetts,. AS to Platt
nobody asked or regarded his views, and
his influence was so small that he was
unable even to gain the support of the
New York delegation for Morton as Vice
President, and Hobart, of New Jersey
was made the nominee. After the Con
vention, he made an attempt, through
some Of his followers, to claim the credit
for the gold plank. But this claim col
lapsed under letter from Charles Emory
Smith, editor of the Philadelphia Press
published in that journal, June "a, 1896
in which all the details leading to thu
adoption of the plank were given, from
the personal knowledge of the writer.
PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE.
Says the Herald:
1T is understood by all political parties
and all persons having any interest il
the matter, that it is now foregone con
cluson that the independence of tn,
Philippine Islands will be granted in tn,
near future. No party advocates tn
contrary to this view. Neither Mr.
Roosevelt nor Mr.. Taft would for mo
ment advocate the retention of the Phil
lppine Islands by this government. S,
thoroughly was this settled during tn
presidential campaign of 1904 that it wa
not an issue in the campaign just closed.
IN 1900.
In 1900, the Republican platform sai'
OF the Philippines: "The largest measur
of self-government consistent with thei
welfare and our duties shall be secure,
to them by law" This, assuredly, wa
far from promise of independence
The Democratic platform condemne,
and denounced our Philippine policy
demanded independence for the Philip
pines, with protection from outside in
terference, and declared this to be 9Th
paramountissue of the campaign" TIL
conclusion reached by the people on thi
issue was announced in a still more dis
astrous defeat of Bryan than he had sui
fered in 1896.
IN 1904.
In 1904, the Republican platform said
SIN the Philippines we have suppresse
insurrection, established order, and give
to life and property security neve
known there before. We have organize
civil government, made it effective an
strong in administration, and have COZ
ferred upon the people of those island
the largest civil liberty they have eve
enjoyed. By our possession of the Phi
ippines we were enabled to take promI
and effective action in the relief of I'll
legations at Peking, and decisive pa
in preventing the partition and preser'
ing the integrity of China"
Only this, and nothing more not
word of Philippine independence.
The Democratic platform said
"We insist that we ought to do fC
the Filipinos what we have already dor
for the Cubans, and it is our duty