The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1916-04-20

THE DEMOCRATS SHOULD WIN.
A Forecast of the 1916 Election b,
w. J. Bryan in the New York
Independent.
No one who has had any consider
able experience in politics will risk
an opinion on platforms very far in
advance of the conventions, especial
ly at a time like this when the stu
alton is undergoing constant change.
Who could have foresecn in 19l 2
the problems with which the admin
istration has had to deal? And who
could have predicted year ago the
changes which have taken place in
the opinions of men within the last
twelve months: The qualifying
phrase, "other things being equal,
affords some protection, but as 9TH
er things are never equal, forecasts
are always subject to discount. IT
the campaign of 1916 could be
fought upon the partys remarkable
record of achievements, democratic
victory ought to be reasonably sure;
but even then, it would be necessary
to remember that we won in 1912 not
because our party secured majority
of the votes cast, but because the OPP
position was divided into two almost
equal factions.
There are three factors which
must be taken in our calculations re-
specting the outcome of the presi-
Dental election of 1916; first, the
impression made by the domestic
policies of the administration; Sec
ond, the impression made by the for
eign policies of the administration,
and third, the unity or lack of unity
in the republican party.
The democratic party can with
confidence submit it's claims upon a
number of important reforms.
First: The popular election of SEN
ators. This is reform of the first
magnitude; reform in the methods
of government which could not have
been achieved a few centuries ago
without vast bloodshed. The demo-
cratic party began the fight for this
reform in congress in 1892; it en-
bodied a demand for it in its plat
form in 1900, 1904, and in 1908, and
in 1912 endorsed the amendment
which was then before the states for
ratification. The republican party
never endorsed this reform in any
platform prior to it's submission, and
as late as 1908 overwhelmingly de-
feated a resolution approving it. The
people ought to give the democratic
party creolt for thus opening the way
to other reforms.
Second: The democratic party re-
formed the rules Of congress and
gave to the house of representatives
real representative government. The
people ought to give to the party
credit for this reform also.
Third: The democratic party re-
duced the tariff and put upon the
statute books the best revenue laws
which the country has had in fifty
years. The tariff law included an in
come tax and the democratic party
can claim credit not only for the in
come tax law, but also for the fact
that the constitution has been so
amended as to authorize an income
tax. In 1904 democratic congress
enacted an income tax law, but the
law was declared unconstitutional by
a divided court, one judge changing
his mind between two hearings OF
the. case. The democratic party then
proceeded to agitate for an amend
ment to the constitution, specifically
authorizing an income tax, and while
the necessary amendment was sub
mitted under republican admins
tration, it came as a result of demo-
cratic labors and was really submit
ted for the purpose of preventing an
income tax. The republican leaders
who assisted in securing the submls-
sion of the amendment did it to de-
feat bill providing for an income
tax and did not expect the amend
ment to be ratified; they were caught
in their own trap.
Fourth: The democratic party is
entitled to credit for the new curren-
cy law. The republicans had talked
currency reforms for twenty years,
but did nothing; the democrats went
to work and brought about change
which gives US the best currency law
we have ever had. 1t vindicates the
right of the government to issue pa
per money; it destroys the monopoly
which the national banks have held
of favor from the federal govern
ment; it takes from Wall street its
controlling influence as a money
center and establishes twelve finan-
clal centers in different parts of the
country, all linked together at Wash
ington and controlled by responsible
government officials. The democrat
is party has a right to expect graft
tude from the business world, which
has been released from the grip of
the money trust, and from the pollt1-
cal world, which has been set free
from the tyranny of few money
Fifth: The democratic party de-
serves credit for having entered upon
a program which contemplates the
complete overthrow of the principle
Of private monopoly; it has already
made start and is building upon
The only sure foundation, namely,
that a private monopoly is indefen-