Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-08
The Democratic Platform and the Opinion of the Matte

ton abroad and reaction at home
can not hope for the support of
either progressive or patriotic citi-
Zens.
Arizona ard New Mexico are
welcomed 20 the Democracy into
the United States. and while these
states were admitted under a Re-
publican administration, their ad-
mission was largely due to the ac-
tivity of the Democrats in congress
in their behalf
The plank in the Democratic
platform in regard to Alaska is an
excellent one and every effort
should be made to make it's pro-
visions speedily operative.
The plank in regard to the Rus
sian treaty should in common JUS
tice and generosity include a COM
pliment to President Taft for his
splendid work in abrogating that
treaty.
The question involved is a ques-
ton which affected every Ameri-
can citizen and affected the dignity
and honor of the nation as whole.
The Jews might have been more
intimately affected than any other
class of our citizenship, but every
citizen was affronted by the failure
of Russia to recognize the passport
issued by our government to any
citizen.
Mr.. Taft may have earned the
special gratitude Of our Jewish Cit
liens, but he has also earned to a
high degree the approval and ap-
plause of every patriotic American
citizen who feels that the dignity Of
our country should be upheld and
the honor of our government sus-
tanned throughout the world
In the plank on the parcels post
and rural delivery the Democrats
might again in justice and gener-
oslty have praised President Taft
under whose administration the
rural delivery and parcels post are
being developed
And in the plank on the Panama
canal exposition the Democrats
could properly have arisen above
party lines and paid some commit
ment to the Taft administration
which did so much for the Panama
exposition and to the Roosevelt ad-
ministration which made the Pan
anna canal possible.
Inc platform concludes with an
empty plank and hollow utteraroo
relating to the rule of the peonIa "
winch could have emanated opIv
from William Jennings Bryan, and
winch 1t would be an Insult +o
attribute to any other membar ~
the platform committee.
me whole progressive program,
Is based upon a genuine and sin
cere pollcy of restoring the power
or government to the hands OF fba
people. Without this power of
government reposed in the hands Of
the people, it is impossible for the
people to accomplish any of the re-
forms which this platform or mora
genuine platforms may declare for
Inc failure, therefore, to restore
the power of government tn tho
people, or to indicate means nv
Whlch the power of government can
De restored to the people, is high
treason to the progressive cause
NO trading, trimming traitor ever
evolved a more reasonable pIanl
than the one which concludes the
Democratic platform.
AS far back as five wears 400
William Jennings Bryan declared
IN a speech in Brooklyn that the
fundamental principles of progress
slVe Democracy We're the initia-
tive the referendum, the recall and
direct primaries, and no Democrat
could be recognized as a Democrat
who did not believe in these prin-
ciples.
And yet Mr., Bryan puts forth
this protested progressive Demo-
cratic platform without one refer
ence to the initiative. the referan-
DUN, the recall or even direct pri-
maries.
This is either contemplate cow
ardice or disgraceful treacherv and
should be branded as such.
1t must be, and may be meant to
De particularly embarrassing to
Or, Wilson, who but lately became
a convert to the cause Of progress
slVe Democracy and to the 6rfn-
clples of the initiative, the referen-
DUN, the recall and direct prima-
ries Ii'i0
DR.. Wilson has, however advo-
Gated these principles with the ar
dor OF a new convert and has CON
WINGED many of his sincerity.
How will DR.. Wilson stand On
this plank in this platform? viii
ne be compelled to return to HE
former reaCtiOnary views. or will
he repudtate Bryan and Rrvan's
reasonable plank and declare hold
ly and bravely for direct primaries
and direct legislation, the essen+iaI
principles of the progressive cause?
Ihls platform as a whole is mn
platform for a progressive to stand
on. 1t is compromise from he
ginning to end. 1t is a cowardIv
evasion in nearly every plank. II
lacks courage and il lacks con
structive policy.
Its policy throughout is a noIIcv
OF opposition, without the siIbsti.
tuition of a practicable plan to anv
policy it opposes.
whether this is due to ignorance