JANUARY 6, 1911
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Tie Situation in West Virginia
Fayettoville, W. Va.. Decomhnr ia iom
Editor The Commoner: I enclose you a letter
written to the Charleston Gazette by Judgo
Maynard T. Stiles, of Charleston, W. Va. This
letter voices the sentiments of the loyal aftd
J? g?lar, mocrats of this state so thoroughly
that I felt that The Commoner should have an
opportunity to reproduce the same, Especially
when we find the metropolitan press and the
men who contributed so largely to your defeat
in 1896, 1900 and 1908, talking about progres-
siye democracy, and declaring that the hope of
the success of progressive democracy is tho
elimination of W. J. Bryan, that this letter
strikes the keynote of the democracy of this
state, at least, and I believe, of the nation, and
as I thought possibly your paper would like to
reproduce this article, I take the liberty of en
closing the 'same to you. Judge Stiles is what
ywe call a "northern, democrat," who has been
..living in West Virginia many years, but he has
always been loyal and true to democratic nomi-
- nees and democratic principles. Sincerely yoursr
C. W. OSENTON.
ELIMINATING "BRYANISM"
Editor nf Thn fJnot-n On" nf fi, ..
results of the recent election is the notion en
tertained in some quarters, particularly by cer
tain eastern journals, that the election elimi
nates Bryan as a leader or as a controlling in
fluence in the democratic party; or that tho
elimination of Bryan and "Bryanism" is neces
sary to the retention and extension of the party
advantage just gained. These journals, most of
whom supported Taft in 1908, talk of "new
feadership" for democracy as they did in 1904.
By "new leadership" they mean the old leader
ship which, despite Bryan's loyalty to the party
name and candidates, led us so far into tho
slough of eternal despond that only the return
o,f the standard into Bryan's hands give the
faintest hope of deliverance. The same mu
tinous crew that scuttled the ship in 1896 and
i960',. and. 1908, and ran her aground and aban
doned her when they captured her in 19.04, are
preparing to clamber aboard again, now that
she is once more afloat and out in mid-stream,
and to throw overboard her navigator and tear
upthe chart in which lies the only hope that
the democratic passengers and cargo will see
port in 1912.
I do not mean to imply that Bryan should
necessarily become the nominee in 1912; it is
not tho time now to pick candidates, but I am
one of those who believe that to abandon the
things which Bryan championed in the last
campaign would be to plan defeat in the hour
of victory. I am one of those who believe that
the personality and doctrines of Bryan are dear
er to the great majority of democratic hearts
than are those of any other man in the party or
out of it, and that the elimination of "Bryan
ism" by "new leadership," if it could be ac
complished, would carry with it every hope of
the triumph of democratic principles under the
party name two years hence.
, The New York World, in an editorial quoted
in your issue of Saturday, advised Mr. Bryan
"to get in step with progressive democracy, and
give all the moral support within his power to
new leaders," and added: "He has had his
chance he had three chances and each time
the country repudiated him." Tho justification
for the reproduction of these attacks upon the
foremost living democrat, made by professed
democratic editors, is to bo found in the warn
ing it affords to the "faithful" of the attempt
to conceal reactionary plans in the disguise of
a protended "progressive democracy," It is un
fortunate that great nominally democratic pa
pers, like the World, cannot give more convinc
ing evidence of their progressive democracy than
persistent misrepresentation of its greatest ex
ponent; and that they should suppose that party
harmony can be restored or party interest ad
vanced by attacks upon him.
By whom was Bryan three times 'repudiat
ed?" By "Standard Oil;" by the "Morgan
helms" and the Aldriches; by the steel trust
ind all the steal trusts; by the "System ' by
?he "Interests," the individuals, corporations,
nd combinations of corporations that had their
Snoute and forefeet in the swill of special privi-S-to
the success of whose efforts to keep
them there the Worfd and its kind contributed,
rt without whic treasonable succor Bryan
would havpufled them squealing from ( the
trough. These rejected Bryan, as they will al
ways reject anyone who seoka to loosen thoir
vampire hold upon the public.
Tho World does not remind us of how mil
lions of "fat," fried by Hanna from protected
and entrenched privilogo, it cost to "repudlato"
Bryan. It does not remind us that, without
money enough to buy postago stamps, Bryan
three times led tho hosts of progressive democ
racy up to tho very castle moat of tho monoy
barons, tho tariff barons, tho graft barons, ot id
omne genus, and was swept back each timo only
by the deluge of sluBh-gold that Hanna and
his band let loose.
There can bo no greater mistake than to sup
pose that .the result of tho election means a
recession of Bryanism of progressivolsm. Re
publican insurgency, which contributed to tho
democratic victory, is tho outward raanifesta-.
tion in the republican party of that which,
In tho democratic party, has taken tho
name "Bryanism." In both parties It is real
democracy opposition to tho rulo of privilege
and pelf. It was truly said by tho standpatters
that Roosevelt was Bryanizing tho republican
party though it was in truth Dollivor, Cummins,
Beveridge and LaFolletto, moro than he, who
were accomplishing that revolution. Tho repu
diation of Roosevelt was no rejection of any
thing for which Bryan has stood. So long as
Roosevelt was believed to be committing larceny
of Bryan's principles from patriotic motives,
thero was nono more popular than ho. Whon
he was finally understood, whon, in addition to
his known disregard of constitutional limits to
executive power, and his disclosed willingness
to solicit and accept secret aid from tho "male
factors" he professed to war upon, it was mado
plain that ho was aiming at a third term and a
perpetual dictatorship, and that to realize his
ambition he was as ready to stand pat with
Lodge as to "insurgo" with Beveridge, thon tho
people smote him Into tho dust with a mighty
smite. But insurgency and Bryanism did not
fall with him.
Incidentally, it may bo said, that never was
there a sharper contest between the repulse of
The Kingdom, the Power,
and the Glory
A NEW YEAR'S THOUGHT
"For Thine is the kingdom and the power
and the glory" but as ho said it ho took
from willing, working men tho necessaries
of life, that he might gather gold and tho
glory ho knew was greed; another took
usury from the poor and tho glory ho know
was cunning; another surrendered his con
science to his party and tho glory ho knew
was folly.
"For Thine is the kingdom " It came
in .life-full notes, for I read its meaning in
the campfires lighted by thoso who have
broken the shackles of party pride; I felt
Us strength in the business methods of un
pretending men who tako their toll and give
to every man his due.
"For Thine is the kingdom" and it was
a' new, sweet song, for I saw it spring to
life in the lovellght of the mother's eyes, In
the laughter of the little child,, in faithful
friendships, in generous deeds.
Then I threw open my owndear memory
doors and saw go trooping through some
with tears in their eyes, but all with laugh
ter in their hearts those who had brought
happiness to me. What a line of loving,
living men and women and children they
aTe! Some are In the Now; others are in
the Forever; but all are frequent visitors to
this hall and never do. they come but they
bring and leave something of good.
I knew then that the song 1' "had heard
was, in truth, a psalm of life; and as the
last echo of the footfall of those I love had
died away my listening heart received this
New Year thought:
"Thine is the kingdom and the power and
the glory," for all that is Thine is mine
and mine is the kingdom of good, where the
power of love brings the glory of God.
RICHARD L. METCALFE,
Lincoln, Neb., January 1, 1911.
a champion of principle, and tho overthrow of
a swash-buckler, nn I mated solely by personal
ambition. Roosevelt, whon routod from tho
field, sounded no noto of dollanco to his fos
or of comfort or hopo to hla followers. Wrapped
in wrath and disappointed egotism, ho skulked
to his lair, donying himself to frJond, foo, and
strangor alike. Ho "had nothing to say," to
anyone. When tho avalancho of purchased and
coerced ballots piled up disaster for Bryan and
his followers, Bryan's own disappointment was
forgotten by him In their groator loss, and, moro
heroic in defeat than ho would have been In
victory, ho rallied his forces and sounded tho
adyanco.
Wo may thank insurgency for much of our
victory and tho moro so becauso Insurgency Is
democracy. Tho insurgonta in tho congress havo
advocated thoso things and opposed those things
that tho majority of democrats in each houjio
havo advocated and opposed. In thoso repub
lican states where tho Insurgent movement was
organized and had candidates, thoso candidates
wero almost uniformly elected. Whoro thero
woro no such candidates, such Insurgent votes as
were cast wont to olect "progressive democrats."
That was tho case in this state. Thoro woro fivo
standpat republican congressmen up for ro-olcc-tlon,
no one of whom was a true rcpresontatlvo
of tho stato or of tho progroHsivo sentiment In
his party. Thero was no outlet for that senti
ment except a voto for a domocrat.
Tho opinion that this stato, or any consider
able part of It, was carried democratic by un
usually effective organization or by unusual pe
cuniary resources, rather than by discontent
with all that Is Implied by "Aldrlchlsm," falls
to tako into account tho glacial drift started in
tho democratic party by Bryan, and which has
swept beyond party lines. Tho movement that
has mado this stato democratic Is unorgaulzod,
but irreslstlhle. Moro perfect party organiza
tion In times past, and greater financial re
sources,, havo failed to effect what an awakened
understanding and an aroused indepcudenco
havo accomplished.
A fatal error will bo made, and tho sceptor
which has passed Into our hands will pass from
them, if tho party In tho legislature fails to
tako proper account of what has brought about
tho change in this stato, as well as In tho nation
at largo, and to bo governed accordingly in ono
of tho most important duties it will havo to dis
charge, and to apply a progressive democratic
principle a Bryan policy popular election of
senators. Not tho smallest factor in the putting
of a democratic majority Into tho legislature was
tho perpetual alternation of Scott and Elkins,
two of Aldrlch's faithful gray wolves, hard and
'fast representatives of tho Interests, who re
garded themselves as absolved, by tho price their
offices coBt, from accountability to tho mass of
tho people. Republican success would lnsuro
tho retention of theso two millionaire agent
of arrogant big business. The republican legis
lative candidates wero their branded property.
Escape from Scott and Elkins lay only In demo
cratic success.
A situation anticipated by but few of, the
democratic leglBlators-elect will confront then?,'
and there are two ways In which they may
meet it; they, may prove that the people who
voted for them havo not escaped that from
which they fled; they may follow tho republi
can example set by Scott's election and elect a
senator whom tho voters would not elect, whoso
claim to consideration Is not a' demonstrated
capacity for public service, or devotion to public
interest, but tho possession of great wealth ac
quired through protection .and privilege, and
who would become a recruit for tho gray wolves
of tho senate; or tboy may elect a democrat such
as might be tho choice of the voters who elected
them, if tho matter could be submitted to their
free choice. Thero aro democrats a plenty in
tho southern end of this state (which ought to
have tho senator), whoso wealth or poverty
would not be inquired about, and who, rich or
poor, aro eligible. Some of them havo coquetted
with the forbidden things just enough to be ac
ceptable to Bill Sawyers, but not enough to
hurt, and some of them he might now regard
as "unco quid," but In whoso presence ho could
stand unabashed after ho shall have "accepted
progressive democracy as a fact. Party success
can not be insured, nor democratic principles
be advanced, by following an evil precedent that
has contributed so largely to republican dis
aster. Respectfully,
MAYNARD T. STILES,
Charleston, December 13, 1910.
A Lorimer by any other name would bo' as
bad in New Jersey as ho is in Illinois,
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