Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1912-07-05
BRYAN's FIGHT AT BALTIMORE


possibilities not only for the Democratic party, but also
for the Republican party and for the country at large
In party sense the contest is similar and import
ant that which Lincoln made when he said that this
nation could exist half slave and half free So
Bryan telling the Democratic party today that it cannot
exist half conservative and half radical It must become
either all consor1 alive OR all progressive. |
The only reason the same fight was not made at
Chicago was because there was no leader the same
time prominent and at time disinterested
CARDS personal ambition make the fight The rank and
file of the party have long realized it, bat the issue has
been beclouded by the personal ambition of the Repub
leaders The progressive wing of the Republican party
have souy maintained that the party should be progress
sve and have stood by and admired the fight which
LaFoete making to this end but the issue was big
ger than LaFotee and when the rank and file thought
they could win better with Roosevelt their leader
they focked Roosevelt only to be led off into blind
alley anked by egotism and ending in
of uncertainty The that the stand
paers genuine Republicans and the standptter
were sure that the progressves genuine Repub
licans, and they were both wrong.
AS matter of fact, neither the Rebupcan the
Democratic parties been either distinctly gressive
or distinctly conservative years. The great
property interests the tariff protected industries and trusts
have sought control the political activity of the
try by identifying themselves with and making political
contributions each of the two old parties, and sup
ported large conservative in each party. The
rank and file of each party responding to the current
thought has been progressive and the only difference
between the political thought of the ordinary Republican
and the ordinary Democrat that labeled Re-
publican and the other labeled Democrat.
This condition led to considerable dissatisfaction
fo;l,,r
party fully respond to the political needs of
the times has led go the of sup
porting the socialist party.
The old party divisions have been illogical and
nges and much of the political unrest has been due to
an attempt remodel the old parties into the logical
division between progressives and conservatives
The attempt made at Chicago to make the Re-
publican party progressive but it oiled by both the
Roosevelt and the Taft factionsby Roosevelt because
he considered himself bigger than the progressive cause
and by the Taft faction because they considered the de-
feat of the towering ambition of Roosevelt of the first
Importance The Taft faction exclusively made
up standatters by any The abortve result at
Chicago but increases the interest in the struggle
at Baltimore.
There Bryan the demand of the country at large
real progressive party and Fs fight has been make
the Democratic party clearly progressive both in the
nominee, the platform and the influences permitted in the
convention that there will be doubt in the minds of the
people of the country that the party thoroy regenerated
He has been opposed not only by the standpaters of
his party, but also by the politicians of the party who
more anxious to get at the Aesh-pots than they
make the party respond to the needs of the times
In all this, he has served not himself, but has pur-
sued his quite Independent of any effect it might
have his personal career and he forced the follow
ing unprecedented declaration of the national
ton
Resolved that in this crisis of partys and
in counrty history this convention sends greeting
the people of the United States and them that the
party of Jefferson and Jackson is still the champion
popular government and equality before the law. AS
proof of fidelity to the people, hereby declare
President who is the representative Of under any obi
gltion to- J. Pierpont Morgan Thomas F. Ryan, August
Belmont, or any other member of the privilege hunting
ard favor-seeking class.
Bryan not only forced this resolution thru, but he
headed off the nomination of Clark when New York tried
get the credit of his mnaton and held the
tion in line for straightou progressive until Wilson
nominated.
Wilson basks in the sunshine of popular approval
while Bryan takes rank Americas greatest private
citizen.
Speaking nationally, he made the old Democratic
party the progressive party while the Republican part
will become the conservative party and logical division
of parties results.
FOURTH OF IIUY