The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-03-08
CONSERVATIVE VS.. PROGRESS
I'VE PARTY POLICIES

the Ocala Banner.
IL accepting Mr.. Bryan as a leader,
and following ardently and enthusi-
astically the blazes that he marked
out in the political forests was a
sign of progressive REFORM" then
what the Pensacola Journal says is
strictly true.
II is true that the editor of this pa
per wrought himself into q veritable
white heat" over Mr. Bryan's deliv-
erances and sincerely believed that
the free coinage of silver at the
ratio of 16 to /" was sovereign rem
edy for all the political evils with
which we were then afflicted, or
could ever be at any time in the fu-
ture; he believed &c to 1" as SOW
ereign an elixir as sincerely as the
editor of the Pensacola Journal now
believes that the Initiative, referen-
dun and recall" are universal specif-
les for all the political ills that can
disturb the sovereignty of nations.
II the initiative, referendum and
recall" were in force in state and ma
ton the editor of the Pensacola Jour-
nal implicitly believes with Sartorius,
when in a late issue of this paper he
said:
This will be found entirely suffi-
cient TO convert this hell of indus
trial war, of deceit, fraud and robbery
into a heaven of industrial peace,
health, wealth and happiness for all"
Mr.. Bryan says that the &c to L"
theory was defeated by the potent
power of money in politics, but
whether that be true or not, none of
the evils predicted by Mr.. Bryan fol-
lowed-not one.
Indeed, instead of farm products
falling below the price of production,
the high cost of the same is startling
the world, and the nation instead of
becoming bankrupt has grown richer
since 1896 than during any similar
period in it's history.
Sixteen to one," as a rallying cry
in party politics, is as hopelessly
dead today as are the issues that
brought on the war between the
states. ~,
The editor of this paper was just as
ardent in his support of Mr.. Bryan
when imperialism" became the SPAR
amount issue" as he was the four
years before.
Imperialism" is no longer a party
slogan, and is as widowed and moth
eaten as any of the political habili-
ments of antiquity.
IL Mr. Bryan did not. suggest the
pelicy concerning the government of
the Philippines, he is at least credit
ed with having endorsed it.
When Mr.. Bryan was next nominal
ed for president his paramount issue
was: Shall the People Rule?"
The editor of this paper confesses
that his ardor then began to cool. He
could not throw off the belief that
that was a "catch-penny" slogan
that there was nothing to it but
mere glittering generality, and that
Mr.. Bryan ought not to have accept
ed the nomination for third time.
Now, it does seem to us that with
this record behind him that Mr.. Bry-
an should consent to become a will
ing worker in the ranks, and not
have his tomahawk uplifted, ready to
scalp any democrat who gets some
what prominent in the limelight of
popularity.
The Journal says Ohio has granted
the Initiative. referendum and re-
call" TO all cities within that state.
over the protest of Judson Harmon.
Mr.. Harmon, on the contrary, says
that his approving the measure and
not vetoing it. shows his Willingness
% give il a trial in cities before MAX
ing Il OF universal adoption by the
states.
The Journal says:
This idea of letting the people say
what they want and do not want is,
OF course. distasteful to Editor Har-
Kiss idea of old-fashioned democracy.
but II is exactly in line with what
the editor of the Journal has advocat-
ed ever since he began thinking on
political subjects"
The Journal does not state the posi-
ton of the editor of this paper fairly
He has said that it is impossible
for the people TO vote upon every
measure. because it would be impos-
sible TO get every measure before
them in tangible shape; and, if it
were possible, then there would be
no necessity for city councils, boards
Of county commissioners, school
boards, state legislatures, and !. fed
eral congress.
Before his candidacy for president.
Mr.. Woodrow Wilson expressed his