The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1910-04-14
PAGE ELEVEN

a short stroll into the past
When the Farmers Alliance was sweeping the
country, and Lon Livingston was making Patri-
otto Fuss all the country, you regulation
Democrats leaned up against Old Man Peepul like
a sick kitten to warm brick. With the excep-
ton of the Sub-Treasury you vowed and declared
that Old Man Peepul could get everything he
wanted inside the Democratic party. Since when
have you read the Democratic platforms of those
days, Bill?
They almost much like the Populist
platforms as buzzards to turkey-buzzards, or
doves are to turtle-doves, quadrupeds, to four
footed animals.
And that national Democratic platform Of
1896, which you speak fatteringly Of was
made for the especial purpose of catching Popu-
list votes. To show how much sincerity there
was in it, the men who made it, nominated on it
a man from Maine (Sewall) who was dead against
everything in it, excepting the Silver plank.
And poor, distraught self-entangled Bill How
ard represents me fiercely opposing that POpu-
list platform, when L of the two Vice.
Presidential candidates who ran with the Peerless
it.
Lest you should think that Bills astounding
error is nothing more than forgetfulness Of
dates, call your attention especially to his argu-
ment the 27 electoral votes which he says l
got.
/ never have received single electoral vote as
candidate for the Presidency. Those 27 electoral
votes given for as candidate for Vice
President, on the Bryan ticket of 1895, SeWall
got all the others.
Those ~ electoral votes were for Bryan for
President.
(There were no Mckinley and Watson electors
in the feld.)
1t was Bryan and Sewall, Bryan and Watson
and Mckinley and Hobart, Bill.
But coming back to the main line of thought
after the Populist movement had been enguIfed
by the Fusion deal of 1896 (and had opposed
it, because foresaw the result) the Democratic
leaders were out of danger, and they began to as
suage their zeal for Populist principles.
They gradually became their old selves again.
SO much so, indeed, that in 1904, they bought
the nomination of Parker, and got their important
platform plank by telegraph, and from New
York. 1t the Gold Standard plank, of course.
And Bryan lost a second chance at the White
House, by not walking out of the convention and
making a direct appeal to the people.
/ made a general canvass of the country as
Presidential candidate-why? Because, thought
somebody ought to represent the people. Parker
and Roosevelt were both Wall Street candidates,
Bryan himself had said. My hope was to get
the Free Silver vote, which 100000 strong
Gould have done this, there was chance to
win. Populists and Free Silverites constituted a
majority. There was no reason whatever why I
might not have received more votes than either
Parker or Roosevelt-WhO dividing the Gold
Standard vote.
What prevented my getting the Free Silver
vote, and beating Roosevelt? The conduct of Mr.
Bryan. AS he could not get the Free Silver votes
himself, he was determined that I shouldn't
He got on BeImont's Special, toured the coun-
try in transforming style, and lined up his fol-
lowing for the candidate whom he had denounced
This destroyed my chances; and thousands of
Democrats went to Roosevelt, rather than sup
port Parker, throw their votes away me.
That's the solemn, indubitable truth 1t was
Bryan's short-sghted policy that elected the Re-
publican ticket. 1t is Bryans lack of political