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The Commoner;
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VOLUME',10, NUMBER.
55:
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Democratic Newspapers on PL
Ifl M(UMHl'H' LI Ull, !ll
utoeratic Organization
4
'BRYAN IS RIGHT"
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South Bond (Ind.) Now Era: Bryan Ib right.
When it .comes to reorganizing the democratic
party that important work shall not bo entrust
ed to tho men who helped elect Mr. Taft two
years ago. Tho Baltimore,. Sum is tho force be
hind tho present movement to nave a conferonco
of democrats 4o prepare for tho campaign of.
1912. Tho Sun was a strong supporter of tho
republican candidate in 1008.
NOT ALL ONE WAY
Dallas (Texas) News: The Implication that
Mr. Bryan's taste In this matter (tho nomina
tion of tho democratic candidate) will have to
bo considered will perhaps not be relished by a
great mnny. But wo regard it as one of those
very hard and palpable facts which 'are not dis
solved in wishes. It will have to be taken ac-
count of if the democratic party is not to ruin
the best opportunity It has had in twenty years.
'Wo-think it doubtful if Mr. Bryan himself could
bo nominated; wo feel almost convinced that he
himself could not be elected. But we account
It a "copper-riveted cinch" that no one whom
Mr. Bryan, pronounces unfit can bo elected, if
the convention should be so fatuous and defiant
as to nominate such a man. Indeed, we credit
Mr. Bryan with more Influence among the demo
cratic masses than that suggests. He will not
need to exert his frown to blight the hope of
the democratic nominee; he will only have to
withhold the warmth of his approving smile to
render it fairly certain that the democratic hope
will never fruit. Probably the most eligible
mnn, from the standpoint of party expedience,
will be, not Mr. Bryan's first choice, whoever
ho may turn out to be, but Mr. Bryants second
choice. " .
. . -
Believing that democrats do not desire
to engage in a sham battle The Com
moner confidently lays down these propositions:
The democratic party must be pro-
. gressive.
No Wall Street candidate can hope to
hold the democratic vote.
Democracy must go forward and meet
present day problems boldly in the spirit
of Jefferson and Jackson.
The democratic victory of 1910 is the
result of fourteen years of democratic
fight for reforms. t '
The party cannot retire now.
It must go forward.
What do tho- democratic editors of the
country think about The Commoner's
position. The Commoner will be glad to
reproduce extracts from democratic edi-
torials on this line. Let the weekly
newspaper as well as the daily speak out.
Send clipping of editorial in. sealed en-
' yelope, addressed Exchange Editor, The
Commoner, Lincoln, Neb.
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BRYAN WILL FIGHT
-Johnstown (Pa.) Daily Democrat: Mr. 'Bryan,
leaves no doubt as to where he will stand- in
the coming contest within his party.
He says in the plainest possible terms that
he will light.
Ho has no more toleration for standpattery
in the democratic party than for standpattery
in tho republican party and he declares that,
democratic "conservatism" Is only another name
for republican "standpattism."
And Ml. Bryan Is right.
He is also right in saying that there is today
a more formidable movement to swerve the
democratic party from tho line 6i progress than
there was in 1903. The interests are preparing
to capture it and to prostitute it to the service
of- Big Business. That is l)eyond any reason
able dispute.
But can this plot be carried to success? Can
another Parker nomination be forced in 1912?
Will the progressives in the democratic party
again stand aside to give the reactionaries a
chance to show what they can do?
In 1904 there was a disposition on the part
of the progressive democrats to allow the con
servatives to demonstrate tho power they
claimed. It will be recalled that the "safe and
saners" insisted that the paTty had been
wrecked by Bryan mid that if they "were given
a free hand they could restore it to Its ancient
prestige. Many of Mr. Bryan's most ardent
friends felt that it would be good politics to
put the matter to a practical teBt. And this in
fact was done. But never before in the history
of the party was its discomfiture bo complete
and so humiliating as in this ignoble campaign
It can hardly be expected that the progres
., slves "will show a like complaisance in 1912.
-The ono experiment was enough to convince
them that the democratic party is not reaction
ary and that its voters will not follow the flag
unless it is carried in proper hands in the right
direction. They will not give way a second time
to powers and influences, which in 1904 were
believed to be and are now known to have been
directly allied with the predatory interests; and
if the worst should come to the worst, means
will be found for carrying forward the demo-
cratic idea although the democratic party may
be straying far afield in the service of plutocracy.
We are unaffectedly glad that Mr, Bryan has
so promptly and decisively declared himself,
We still regard him as the great tribuno of the
peoplo. He is still the trusted leader of the
rank and file. He still possesses In full measure
the confidence and tho affection of the unpriv-
-
ileged hosts who have thrice followed him to
glorious defeat. The conservatives . may lay the
flattering unction to their souls that Bryan has
"passed" and that Bryanism is "passing." But
let them make no mistake: -Bryan is as much
a force in American politics as ever. He will
probably never again be called upon to stand
for office. But that does not dispose of Bryan
nor does it dispose of the progressive policies
for which he has stood and for which' he still
stands unshaken and unshakable. The war wiil
go on and democratic standpattery must be pre
pared to face democratic progresslvelsm in a
flmtl struggle the issue of which can hardly be
considered doubtful. For reaction has never
yet been able to measure swords with progress.
democrat with bravery to believe that the demo
crats will give the senatorship to Gassaway
Davis, sixteen times a millionaire. He is asso
ciated with many of tho great criminal corpor
ations, and his election to the senate would make .
glad the heart of Aldrich and all .the criminal
rich who have become rich through the opera
tions of Aldrichism. Certainly no real demo
crat on earth dares hopo. for democratic results
from the creation of senators' ouf of such ma
terial as Gassaway Davis.
"The situation is not pleasing. It means that,
Instead of helping the insurgent republicans in
their light against Aldrichism, every one of the
probable new democratic senators will be allied
directly with the Aldrichites. What will that
mean to the fortunes of the democratic party?
It will mean that the people wiH lean to the
belief that they wore' never more smoothly bun- .
coed than when they started that democratic,
landslide in those states which are now pre
paring to send ten millionaires to seats in the
national senate.
"The situation is worthy the serious atten
tion, of every-democrat who honestly believes
that his party should be '.he champion of the
rights of the masses, rather than a plaything
for the millionaire." v
A DANGEROUS VICTORY
Edgar Howard, who has spent a life time in
serving the democratic party, writes in his
Columbus (Neb.) Telegram as follows:
"At first glance it would appear that a great
victory for democratic principles had been won
in many states at the late election. It is true
that in many states the republican legislatures
have been swept away, and this means that the
democrats will send ten new democratic sena
tors to Washington in place of ten republicans.
"The victory would be glorious, were it not
for tho danger which attends it, and the danger
lies in the fact that- in many "states the very
worst types of corporationists are coming for
ward to claim the new democratic senatorships.
The understanding was that the late campaign
was fought out along progressive lines, the dem
ocratic Bhibboleth being 'Down with Aldrich-
ism.' Now let us look at the probable demo
cratic senators from those states where demo
cratic -legislatures were chosen at the recent
election.
MIn Ohio the leading democratic aspirant for
the -senate is the notorious John R. McLean,
many times a millionaire Is there an honest
democrat in the nation who can safely say that
John R. McLean has even a speaking acquain
tance with democratic principles? Can any
. democrat hope that such a corporationist would -sit
in the senattf and overthrow one vote against
Aldrichism?
4'In Montana the most prominent aspirant for.
the new senatorial toga' is none other than Mil
lionaire Clark. How can .any real democrat
hope to see Millionaire Clark line up against
Millionaire Aldrich?
"In New Jersoy the common democrats are
hoping to send some decent democrat to the sen
ate. But they have nothing better than a hope.
Millionaire Smith has said that he wants the
place, and millionaires usually get what they
want in New Jersey, Can any real democrat
believe that the election of this notorious trust
manipulator will promote any genuine demo
cratic principles?
"In New York a dbzen democratic millionaires
are sparring for the senatorial fight, and one
of them, probably Sheehan, will be agreed upon
by the Wall Street influences, Where is the
Tho followingletters lire printed in the Balti-.
more Sun, the newspaper which called the-con-.
ference to be held January 17:
To the Editor of the Sun: Apropos of Colonef
Bryan's guarded response to the Sun's proposal
for a '"Baltimore conference" of leading dem- -ocrats:
, " - ' "
The Sun is now very zealous in behalf .of the
democratic party, against which its efforts were
exerted in 1908 efforts attended,, with "little or'
no success as Maryland's electoral vote that year1'
shows. But is not the Sun assuming a good
deal in essaying to lead where it so lately re
fused to follow? '-
Mr. Bryan is right. We regular' democrats',1
now that our constant efforts for renewed Jefftir-'.
sonian progresslvelsm have leavened alike the"
party and the country, are willing to meet ail--even
theso occasional democrats in a broad
spirit of mutual concession. But the eleventh?
hour laborers, though receiving, indeed, like pay
with those who had borne the burdens and heat
of the day, were not put in charge of the treas
ury and disbursements, nor are late returned
.deserters at once intrusted with the watch tow
ers. The Sun would do well to stop writing
get-together editorials long enough. to read .its
cut-asunder preachments of the recent past, also
to study the facts and figures of the 1904 cam
paign. Many Maryland democrats, in view of
the Sun's frequent apostasies to black republi
canism, are disposed- to discount its advice dur
ing its occasional visits to the fold about 100
per cent. ' -
, By the way, did the Sun note the election re-
suits in the close. and important s'tate of 'fyiis-' -Bouri?
The democrats carried the legislature,
which elects a federal Benator to succeed the
republican Warner; and they indorsed for sen
ator, by a wholesome majority, Mr. Reed a
friend of Mr. Bryan's over one of the Sun's
ideal "safe" democrats, Mr. Francis. "
MONTGOMERY VOTER'.
Chevy Chase, Md., November 7.
Virginian Wants Bryan
Messrs. Editors: Jn reference to the pro
posed democratic conference in Baltimore a'
seventy-year-old democrat begs to suggest: Wil
liam Jennings Bryan commands a- democratic
following larger than any other living American.
To not have him in said conference it would be
a "Hamlet without a ghost." r
JOHN E. HOPKINS.
New Market, Va., November 19.
: THE DEMQORATS' DUTY v
Houston (Texas) Chronicle: The proposition
for a democratic conference at the present t'ime
is not a wise one. The Baltimore Sun urges it
but that paper supported Taft in 1908 It is
true that the democrats now have a golden op
portunity, but the "principles and policies formu
lated by the national convention at Denver, Colo,,
July 10, 1908, are the party law until a new
national convention assembles. It is contraty
to all precedent- to hold a national convention
or bring together anything resembling such, an
assemblage before the regular time. The propo-
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