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

ton abroad and reaction at home
can not hope for the support Of
either progressive or patriotic citi-
zens.
Arizona and New Mexico are
welcomed by the Democracy into
the United States. and while these
states were admitted under a Re-
publican administration, their adj
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 its pro-
visions speedily operative.
The plank in regard to the Rus
sian treaty should in common JUS
tice and generosity include a COM
Dliment to President Taft for his
splendid work in abrogating that
treaty.
The question involved is ques-
ton which affected every Ameri-
can citizen and affected the dignity
and honor of the nation as a 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
meht to the Taft administration
which did so much for the Panama
exposition and to the Roosevelt a9-
hlnlstration which made the Pan
anna canal possible.
The platform concludes with an
empty plank and hollow utterance
relating to the rule of the peopIe &"
when could have emanated onlv
from William Jennings BRYAN. and
when 1t would be an insult to
attribute to any other member Of
the platform committee.
me whole progressive program
Is based upon a genuine and sin
cere policy of restoring the power
OF government to the hands Of the
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 more
genuine platforms may declare for.
Inc failure, therefore, to restore
the power of government to the
people, or to indicate means bv
which the power of government can
De restored to the people, is high
treason to the progressive cause
NO trading, trimming traitor ever
evolved more reasonable plank
than the one which concludes tho
Democratic platform.
AS far back as five years ago
William Jennings Bryan declared
IN a speech in Brooklyn that the
fundamental principles of progress
slVe Democracy were the initia-
tive, the referendum, the recall and
direct primaries, and no Democrat
could be recognized as Democrat
who did not believe in these prin-
cipIes.
And yet Mr.. Bryan puts forth
this professed progressive Demo-
cratic platform without one refer
ence to the initiative, the referen-
dunn, the recall or even direct pri-
maries.
This is either contemplate cow
ardtce or disgraceful treacherv and
should be branded as such.
1t must be, and may be meant to
be particularly embarrassing IN
Dr. Wilson, who but lately became
a convert to the cause of progress
Sive Democracy and to the min
clpIes of the initiative, the referen-
dunn, the recall and direct prima-
ries.
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 DIR. Wilson stand on
this plank in this platform? VIII
ne be compelled to return to his
former reactiOnary views, or win
he repudiate Bryan and Brvan's
reasonable plank and declare bold
ly and bravely for direct primaries
and direct legislation the essential
principles of the progressive cause?
This platform as a whole is no
platform for a progressive to stand
on. 1t is a compromise from be-
ginning to end. 1t is a cowardIv
evasion in nearly every plank, II
lacks courage and it lacks con-
structive policy.
It's policy throughout is a p0licv
OF opposition, without the substi-
tuition of practicable plan to anv
policy it opposes.