DECEMBER 23, 1910
The Commoner
s
fi
. -
Can Democratic
. ' (In publishing letters from veadors it is hardly
necessary to say that publication does not mean
tnat The Commoner endorses tho sentiments
contained in tho letters.)
E. L. Dohoney Newspaper reports show a
majority of over sixty for the democratic party
in. the lower house of tho next congress, and
.The Commoner gives the status of tho senate
as fifty republicans to forty-one democrats. But
as there aro eight or ten of these republicans
insurgents, who will act with tho democrats,
in favor of certain reforms, it seems that some-
. thing in the interest of tho people ought to bo
effected by the next congress. The trouble, how
ever, is that there is in tho democratic party
every phase of political opinion, from plutocracy
to socialism; and at no time sinco the Civil
war, has tho party been able to act as a unit in
favor of any political reform. Every intelligent
person knows that the reforms now advocated
by Mr. Bryan and Colonel Roosevelt were advo
cated by tho greehbackers over thirty years ago,
and since by tho populists. In 1880 tho green
backers had twenty-three members in congress,
and were rapidly breaking up the democratic
,., party. To save their party the democratic lead
ers adopted substantially the greenbackers' plat
form, and promised the greenbackers that if they
would co-operate with the democratic party that
as soon as it got control of the government all
these reforms should be enacted into laws. Tho
greenbackers went back into the democratic
party; and during a part of Cleveland's admin
istration the democrats had a working majority
in both houses of congress. And yet, with the
president and congress under its supposed con
trol, the democratic party failed to keep a single
pledge made to the greenbackers. No attempt
at reform was made except on the tariff, and
' that proved a failure. When the protection
democrats of the east got through with the Wil
son bill, it was very little better than the repub
lican law it repealed. It was a tariff law more for
protection than revenue. Even Cleveland would
sot sign the bill.
When the Payne-Aldrich law was enacted,
nearly all the democrats abandoned their time
honored doctrine of tariff for revenue and voted
with the republicans for protection in their own
localities. It must be evident to every thinking
person that the democratic party as now consti
tuted, can never give tho people a just tariff
law.
The impotence of the party was also clearly
shown when the insurgent republicans sought
to break down the despotic power of Speaker
Cannon, by changing the infamous rules of tho
house, which had for years prevented reform
legislation. The Tammany democrats, aided by
Bourbon democrats from tho south, came to tho
relief of the speaker, and continued his despotic
power.
The inability of the democratic party to ever
elect a president has thrice been demonstrated
by tho defeat of Mr. Bryan. In all three races
Bryan would. have been elected easily, if tho
democratic party had supported him solidly, for
. he had the support of nearly aJ-1 the populists
and independents. But the national bank demo
crats betrayed him and voted with the re
publicans. And that tho party cannot elect a' so-called
conservative was clearly demonstrated by tho
disgraceful defeat of Judge Parker in 1904. Tho
corporation wing of the party will not support
a Bryan democrat, and tho true Jeffersonian
democrats will never support a national bank
candidate. If Bryan cannot be elected tho party
will never elect a president, for fully three
fourths of tho party aTe with Bryan in sentiment.
The majority of the party being Jeffersonian
democrats are opposed to the national banks
Issuing and controlling the currency, and by
Bpeculation and fraud producing panics, and
ruining tho people. Therefore they will not sup
port a gold basis national bank candidate for
president.
If Mr Bryan's position' results in breaking up
the party, and Colonel Roosevelt can disrupt
tho republican party, we can then get all reform
ers and independents into a new party of tho
people against the plutocracy, get contro I of gov
ernment overthrow the present reign of mon
opX and recover the rights and liberties of the
PeTonrevent revolution and ruin, the only hope
of the 'country is a new political party. AH or
ganizations finally become corrupt and oppres
sive and history furnishes no instance, whon
an old party has over been reformed. "You
cannot put new wine into old bottles," waB tho
language of the Christ. Tho wino not only fer
ments, but hurts tho bottles. All reforms havo
to originate with tho peoplo and outsido of ex
isting parties.
Tho late election was not a triumph of. tho
democratic party, but simply tho repudiation of
tho robber tariff and republican corruption. It
was not that the peoplo loved tho democratic
party more, but tho republicans less. At was
simply a choice of evils. I would gladly see tho
democratic party relieve tho country from tho
present reign of monopoly, but havo no hopo of
it; and if the party fails this time, as fail it
will, it ought to get out of tho way. It has
acted "tho dog in tho manger" long enough. It
cannot eat tho hay itself and won't allow any
other party to eat it.
Although independent of all parties tho writer
is and ever has been a Jofforsonlan demo
crat in principle, and as such, earnestly support
ed Mr. Bryan In all three races, as the best that
could be done. But after ho was defeated by
tho money power In, 1896, I wrote Mr. Bryan
that ho never could be elected in tho democratic
party; nor could ho reform tho party that ho
could not "put now wino into old bottles."
C. F. Michael, Hartford, Conn. In your Isbuo
of oven date you copy frohi tho Johnstown
(Pa.) Daily Democrat, under tho title "Bryan
Will Fight," which In my opinion hits tho nail
on the head, with only this exception ho will
probably never again bo called npon to stand
fdr offico. Is it not Bryanism that gavo ua
insurgent republicans? Is it not Bryanism that
gave us a strenuous Teddy? Is it not Bryanism
that won the last democratic victory? If Bry
an's efforts are responsible for the result of tho
last election then Mr. Bryan is the only tangiblo
candidate for the democratic convention to nom
inate for president. Any democrat who don't
want Mr. Bryan to run again had better come
out in the open, take off the mask and declare
himself a standpat republican. Mr. Bryan can
poll more votes on the democratic ticket than
any other living man. Plutocracy may beat him
again, but it will take more money to do it than
they spent in 1896. I want Bryan nominated
at the next national convention. I say this now
in order to start the ball a rolling, and I think
it can be made to roll so fast that by tho timo
the convention meets tho trust agents will want
to stay at homo and not show their faces at tho
convention.
W. B. Chase, Marlon, Ohio. Ono word to the
democratic party. You havo had a great leader,
but the "interests" in both tho republican and
democratic parties, are seeking to deprivo tho
masses of their truest friend and greatest advo
cate. This is being done by and through thoso
who seek private rather than public welfare.
You are in need of an Immediate leader now.
One who will be all things to all men that all
may be saved. Not ono who would bo .all things
to all men that he may bo saved. A real pro
gressive, and not a real conservative of tho
"interests" under the cloak of progressives.
What the masses want and will havo is a real,
direct, positive, progressive leader. You aro
wasting timo. Unite now on that leader. You
know him, you love him, ho is true, has been
thoroughly tested and tried, and if you are true
to yourselves and to him ho will lead you to
certain victory for the public wea! In 1912. No
man, or set of men, can or will bo true to tho
progressive democratic party, who does not
favor that true and tried and tested loader. So
sure as ho Is chosen now as such leader, and so
long as such party stands truo to him, so long
will the progressive democratic party succeed,
and no longer; for if they do not stand truo
to him .and to progressive democratic principles,
as their leader and guide, the democratic party
will go down to ignominious defeat. Remember
this in 1912, after election. Begin now, get
yourselvea in line, get together, for with all your
apparent victory tho democratic party will fall
and go to the wall unless you do, and do it now.
This leader is the only one that will and can
lead the progressive democratic party to sure
victory then. He is your real leader now, but
not in the way that means success to your prin
ciples. He must be your open-named and adopt
ed leader. Be true to him, show your confidence
In him, without variance or shadow of turning,
and you will bo led to tho grandest, moBt popu
lar victories that any political party of tho peo
ple evor had. This ono is entitled to bo your
leader; you owo It to him; he owes it to you;
you owo It to tho masses, because ho Is truo to
the masses, ho la truo to himself and "ho can't
bo falso to any man." Ho can bo tnmtcd to tho
uttermost; trust him; ho Is tho ono among nil
to bo preferred now by you all. Tkoro 1b none
other that tho masses will fully ondorno aa their
leader, and (pardon tho prophecy, for it is truo)
no other In tho progressive democratic party,
who can so load and who can bo elected presi
dent In 1912. Call this what you may; treat it
aB you will; you who livo to soo tho result of
tho 1912 national election will pronounco It
truo.
;I:.W- IIornor. 7C2C Normal Ave, Chicago.-
William J. Bryan owes his flevornl defeats to tho
fact that ho was in advanco of his ago. Tho
democratic party and tho progressives in tho
republican party havo como to hlfl views at last.
Tho democratic party owes to him moro than to
anybody elso, its present triumph. Ho Ib tho
best timber for 1912 in tho party. If his oppo
nents will think this out fairly and squarely thoy
must conclude that It Is so.
Fred R. Hall, Battlo Crook, Mich. Tho Com
moner of December 9 Is before mo and I havo
read Its timely articles and especially tho ar
ticles written commenting on tho recent elec
tion outcome. Ono In particular by Edgar How
ard, also ono by Wayno C. Williams. Those
men are sounding an Important and a timely
warning. It Is now up to tho democratic party
to domonstrato "whom they shall servo.' Shall
tho peoples' victory bo turned to defeat by mak
ing concessions to Insure party victory? This
appears to bo tho question. There Is ono sure
thing, if Providence designs that the rights of
tho common peoplo shall ultimately triumph and
that this shall onco moro bo a government of
tho peoplo, by tho peoplo and for tho peoplo, in
fact and not In fancy, then tho democratic party
must consistently and honestly carry out truo
and tried principles or God will raiso up a po
litical force that will and it will matter not what
name It Is called by whether socialism or any
other Ism. It is now up to the democrats to
stand as did Thomas at Chickamauga and "hold
this position till tho regiment is mustered out
of service." Tho question now Is, aro wo going
to win this victory or must It bo delegated to
able successors.
(Mr. Bryan Is not a candidate and these
samples of many letters received at Tho
Commoner office aro printed for tho pur
pose of saying to all who feel as these writers
do that If thoy will but devote that personal
enthusiasm they have shown for Mr. Bryan and
that zoalpus effort they have put forth whenever
ho has been a candidate In opposition to tho
scheme of the trust agonts to secure control of
the democratic convention tho democratic party
will In 1912 present a united front In defense
of democratic principles. Let every friend of
Mr. Bryan join with him In the effort to snouro
as the democratic nominee In 1912 a man whoso
record will justify the hope that the people may
depend upon him. Let them Join with Mr. Bryan
In the effort to have tho national convention
adopt a real democratic platform a platform
that shall speak the sentiments of the masses
rather than the sentiments of those who believo
they havo an Inherent right to secure special
privileges from government. Editor of Tho
Commoner.)
Tho following letter, written to a friend In tho
state of Washington, defines Mr. Bryan's
position:
Mission, Texas, December 8, 1910. You kind
letter at hand. I appreciate a loyalty which leads
you to favor my nomination again after threo
defeats, but I cannot conceive of any circum
stances whirh would mako It wise to consider
being a candidate in 1912, and I hope you will
not advocate it.
We have a fight on our hands to prevent tho
capture of the organization of the party by tho
reactionary element and I can assist In this fight
moro effectively If I am not hampered by tha
restraints placed upon a candidate. Our party
is sound at heart the rank and file aro incor
ruptible, but we have to spend so much energy
(Continued on Pago 4)
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