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Show THE PERTURBED DEMOCRACY. f fl We are bound to say that Mr. Bryan has de- ' Iff f fl cidedly the best of Mr. Cleveland in the argument j, s fl j as to which represents the true Democracy. Ul ffl He picks up and shakes the ponderous plati- !' il ffl ', tudes of Mr. Cleveland as a terrier might a rat;- .1 J ffl j he has the best of the argument all through. Mr. M f f fl I Cleveland represents the Democracy of 1864-68, f ' I ' B i Mr. Bryan that of 1896-1900. Both hold Jefferson p -fl j and Jackson as patron saints, while each one fol- If J I j fl j lows a fetish of his own. Neither seems to have a . I fl 1 ' fl thought that the Republic is sweeping on, though M fl I it passed Mr. Cleveland thirty-five years ago and - f J fl ! passed Mr. Bryan six years ago. I v-J fl Both depend upon the sins of the Republican It $11' fl j party for success, but when we come to invest!- if ".j fffl gate what they offer instead, the golden apple j 4fjifl 1 turns to ashes on the lips of hope. They are both j , f jjfl out and out free traders, notwithstanding the fact M flflfl that free trade was never once tried in this coun- X Irfifl i try that panic and prostration of business did not w ' fffl follow. j i li 'ill Mr. Bryan is honest In his belief; it was born I '-fffl in him. Mr. Cleveland picked up his after he was ;j ' 'MM elected President il Jf ffifl Both - assail trusts. It is clap-trap on Mr. ' ilffl Cleveland's part, for no President ever leaned so I '"Pflfl much upon the money power, or ever made half 1 rfH as much money through subservance to that pow- & , mIB er, as did Mr. Cleveland. With Mr. Bryan it is a Iff tfl i fetish, but what lucid plan has he ever put forth i fllfl jfor restraining trusts? 11 kftfl j Again, where would he turn for friends to mm jmm support him? What of Jones, or Mills, or Hogg, 1 1 wl ;or Pettigrew? n flffl ; In one respect Mr. Cleveland has the advan- 1 1 Itage. He believes in the rule of law. Mr. Bryan Wa Iflfffl ! construes the red Republicanism of Jefferson to Bf: BB mean a leaning to lawlessness and a contempt for Iff iSM .courts. 1 ffflH This extends to the point of holding that the mk ff 9 bolo assassins and head-hunters of the Philip- Mb "flB 'pines are akin in spirit and purpose to the "em- M& ;jfB 'battled farmers" of 1775-76. Then it is a favorite ml ;i&SM Itrick of Mr. Bryan to try to spread discontent &&. HH among the wage-earners of America, and to try to lllillifl jconvince them that employe is are all oppressors MISIIH land would-be robbers. Pljli ' Mr. Cleveland is a Democrat of the mossy- fliiHll back school. Mr. Bryan is much more a Populist Bflflfl and a Democrat. In 1890 he dictated a platform AlJIliS which was vastly more Populistio than Demo- ifllrafl cratic to a so-called Democratic convention, and fliiiill bad it adopted. Since then he has claimed that iflflfl it was the only Democratic platform. The joke gjiiiJPj b that he, a few days previous, dictated a plat- fflfflfflB form for the National convention of the Populists, Infifiis and the two have as nearly the same inherent ffiJjHlB properties as have the white and the bayo bean. ffllllifl There is a little difference in taste and color per- Irailiifl laps, but both contain the same inherent flatu- lllf liflfl lency. gflil The plainest proposition in the world is that fllimffl the party has not a ghost of a show to win under llPigliH either banner. IKflllfl The existence of the Democratic party for ffilllfl forty years has been due to a solid South. flifll Why do not some of the brilliant men of the flflfl South assert themselves, give notice that they flmralfl are weary of following a Democratic funeral pro- flHPlfl cession to the grave every four years, assume the H;lifl leadership, put out an American Democratic plat- flftfllfP form, dictate a standard-bearer and go into one fllfl5 fight with a reasonable show of winning? fliflfflj |