Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-05-02
DEMOCRATIC IMPOTENCY.
Present Political situation Accu-
rateIy Sized Up.


Sioux City Tribune.
That democratic leaders, so-called, should
attribute recent election results In Mass
achusetts and New York to a turning
of the people toward the democratic" as
they generally phrase it, illustrates their in
ability to interpret public sentiment accur-
ately. The people are not laundering to
restore the democracy to power. Where
democrats have been elected the voters
have merely taken that method to indi-
cate their displeasure toward the faithless-
ness of the republican party in congress
Progressive republicans, who are more
keenly discerning of real political condi-
lions than anybody else, have no hope that
the democrats II returned to power, would
accomplish anything in the line of pro-
gressive legislation, or that their triumph
would loosen the grip of privilege upon
the government.
In congress and out the democratic party
is without policy and without leadership
1t has lost hold of it's ancient principles,
and has annexed no new ones in their
stead, Given a majority in both houses
of congress and a president in the White
House, there is nothing in their record to
persuade anybody that a single plank of
the last national platform would be crystal
lized into legislation wing Of the party
we'll represented in the present house and
senate, is welded as strongly to privilege
as are Aldrich, Hale and Cannon. The
Denver platform specifically pledged the
party to free lumber, and the lumber duty
in the Payne bill was saved by democratic
votes The chairman of the Denver con-
vention (Clayton), and a senator (Sim-
mons), who was on the platform COM
mittee both voted to retain that obnoxious
duty
Since 1892 the party has been drifting
on the sea of opportunism Betrayed fol-
lowing the '92 victory by the protectionist
element within its ranks, It has been
grasping In each successive campaign at
fohies which represented neither dem
ocracy nor political sense as the results
show. As a choice of evils some earnest
and thoughtful men have, it is true, voted
for Mr.. Bryan; but as rule the uncertain,
erratic and drifting course of the party
has driven this class OF men into the ranks
Of the opposition Today the party has no
issue upon which 1t can make an honest
appeal to the public, or upon which the
people are willing TO trust it.
Without policies II is without leader
ship In Indiana Hendricks is in his grave
and Tom Taggart reigns in his stead. In
Illinois John M. Palmer has gone, and
Roger Sullivan has taken his place. In the
south Jeff Davis "Fiddling Bob" TAYLOR,
Gum Shoe Bill" Stone and smirched jos
Bailey rattle around in the seats once hon
ored and graced by Lamar. Gordon, Ben
Hill and John T. Morgan. In New York
the school of Tilden and Cleveland has
been superseded by that of Fingy Corners
and Boss Murphy In New England the
only democrat elected in recent years is
Mr.. FOss, n confessed republican on every
issue save the tariff. In the middle west
and on the Pacific coast the party has
neither organization leadership nor votes.
The democrats may elect n majority Of
the lower house this fall. II they do It
will be through no intrinsic merit OF their
own, nor because the people want to trust
them. It viii be because such a method is
the only one. in the minds of a majority
of the voters, TO rebuke republican be-
trayal through standpatism.
Here in the middle west democrats will
cut an Insignificant figure. This great
valley will return it's loyal insurgents
and send new insurgents 10 displnce Its
faithless standpatters. There IS no reason
why the middle west should vote the demo
cratic ticket and II will not do 50. The
only democratic recruits hereabouts will
be few personally piqued and hidebound
standpatters who win vote the democratic
ticket as a means OF gratifying their
hatred Of the progressive leaders