PS'Fs?5!S9Pi5!3555! o The Commoner. : WILLIAM J. BRYAN, J3DITOR AND PUBLISHER.

Vol. 4t No. 43 Lincoln, Nebraska, November 11, 1904. Whbit Number 199 Democracy vs. Plutocracy The Election's Lesson Tlio democratic party has met with an over- and democracy, and the party's stand on the otdo reorganization of tho democratic party; when he whelming defeat in the national election. As yet of democracy alienated a largo number of failed in tills ho did what ho could to aid Parker the returns are not sufficiently complete to permit plutocratic democrat who, in the nature of and Davis in order to secure such reforms and analysis, and it is Impossible to say whether the things, can not be expected to return, and thero were somo vital ones promised by their result is due to an actual increase in the number it drew to itself a large number of earnest election. Low that tho campaign lo over he will by personal ef- of republican votes or to a falling off in the demo- advocates of reform whose attachment to theso both through Tho Commoner and put cratic vote. This phase of the subject will be dealt reforms is much strongor than attachment to any fort assist those who desire to tho democratic next week when the returns are all In. The party name. The republican party occupied the army onco more upon a fighting basis; ho will with ' questions for consideration at this time are. what conservative position. That is, it defends those assist In organizing for tho campaign of 1908. It matter so may lesson does the election teach? and. what of the who, having secured unfair advantages through does not much who tho nominee bo During tho next years future? The defeat of Judge Parker should not class legislation, insist that they shall not be. three circumstances exac- may bring into tho arena somo man especially bo considered a personal one. He did as well as disturbed no matter how oppressive their may become. The democratic party can not to carry standard. will be timo enougn he could under the circumstances; he was the tions fitted tho It to compete successfully with the republican to discuss a candidate when we aro near enough victim of unfavorable conditions and of a mistaken hope support. To win the support of the campaign to measure avail- party policy. He grow in popularity as the cam- party for this to tho tho relative of the country the party would ability worthy to bo considered, we paign progressed,' and expressed himself mora plutocratic element of those but to more plutocratic than the repub- ought to begin now to lay our plans for the next and more strongly upon the trust question but have become party It could not do this without los- campaign and to form tho line of battle, could not overcome the heavy odds against him. lican and national ing tlmeg as many voters as that course Tho party must coritlnuo to protest against a so-call- charged the several The ed- conservative democrats win. The democratic party has nothing to largo army and against a largo navy, and to stand defeats of 1896 and 1900 to the party's position on would catering to organized and predatory independence of tho Filipinos, for imper- the money question and insisted that a victory gain by for the must not only do without such support ialism adds tho menaco of militarism to tho cor- could be won by dropping the coinage question wealth. It strengthen itself by inviting the open rupting influenco of commercialism, and yet ex- entirely. The convention accepted this theory, and but it can emphatic opposition of these elements. The perience shows that however righteous the party's the platform made no reference to the money and shows that It is as inexpe- position on this subject, tho issuo docs not arouse question, but Judge Parker felt that it was his campaign just closed standpoint of policy as it is wrong people as they aro aroused by a question which duty to announce his personal adherence to the dient from the tho standpoint of principle to attempt any touches Immediately and individually. Tho gold standard. His gold telegram, as it was called, from the thou industrial and financial despots injustice done to the Filipinos Is not resented as while embarrassing to the democrats of the west conciliation of the are gradually getting control of all the it should be or as wo resent a wrong to ourselves, .and south, was cjplauded by the eastern press. who wealth. The democratic party, if it and tho costliness of Imperialism is hidden by the He had the cordial endorsement of Mr. Cleveland, avenues of success, must take the side of the statistics and by our indirect system of taxation. who certified that the party had returned to "safe- hopes to win people. The Commoner has for While tho party must maintain its position on ty and sanityr" he had the support of the demo- plain, common pointed out the futilty of any attempt this subject, it can not present UIs as tho only cratic papers which bolted in 1896,. and he also two years compromise with wrong or to patch up a peace issue. had the aid of nearly all of those who were promi- to great corporations which are now ex- The party must also maintain its position on nent in the campaig-- s of 1896 and 1900, and yet with the southern democrats tho tariff question. No answer has been mado to apparently greater .aan the party ploiting the public, but the his defeat is they lis- indictment against the high tar- years. were so alarmed by the race issue that the democratic suffered in either of those tariff sys- tened, rather roluctantly be it said to their credit, iff, and yet, here too, the burden of the is unquestionable also that Judge Parker's by method in which the tax It to the promises of success held out by those who tem is concealed tho defeat was not local but general the returns from not bo made the sole issue had contributed to the defeat of the party in the is collected. It can the eastern states being as disappointing as the two preceedlng campaigns. The experiment has in a campaign. returns from the west. The reorganizes were in re- party must renew its demand for an Ji-co- me been a costly one. and it is not likely to be The complete control of the party; they planned the through a constitutional peated during the present generation. The eastern tax, to bo secured according to lueir own" may be made to campaign and carried it on also deceived. They were led to amendment, in order that wealth -- democrats were views, and the verdict against their plan is a monopolists who of the expenses of tho government. believe that the magnates and pay its share unanimous one. Surely silver can not be blamed enor- collecting practically all of our fed- coerced the voters in 1896 and supplied an Today we are for defeat, the campaign was run on a 1900 from taxes upon consumption and this for mous campaign fund in both 1896 and would eral revenue gold can the defeat be charged to theso bear heaviest upon the poor and light upoa basis; neither help democratic party if our party would only of the trusts, for the the the rich. emphatic condemnation radical. The corporation press aided in as vigorously this year be less The party must maintain its position in favor trusts were not assailed deception, and even the republican papers pro- -' can not surrender Its demana ago is evident that this of bimetallism. It as they were our years It desire to help build up the use of both gold and silver as the standard question of fessed an unselfish for the the campaign did not turn upon the party. The election has opened the money of the country, but the question must re- the re-B- ult democratic so change as imperialism, and it is not fair to consider cf thousands of honest and main in abeyance until conditions al- eyes of the hundreds again to face with falling as a personal victory for the president, months ago to bring the public face ng who a few well-meani- democrats and a rising dollar. This, therefore, can not though administration was .the subject of party. These prices his favored tne reorganization of the be made tho controlling issue of the contest upon criticism, 'x- -e was due to the fact that the go result ' men now see that they must either into the which we are entering. attempted to bo conservative in presents most acute democratic party republican party or join with the democrats of The trust question the the presence of conditions which demand radical making the democratic party phase of the contest between democracy and plu- the west and south in are concerned. remedies. It sounded a partial retreat when it progressive reform or- tocracy, so far as economic Issues positive, aggressive and trusts coa-tribut- ed charge all along the line. a The president virtually admits that the should have ordered a ganization. There is no middle ground. to his campaign fund, but he denies that In 1896 the lino was drawn, for the first time on page. 4.) Bryan did what he could to prevent the (Continued during the present generation, between plutocracy Mr.

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