The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-05
SUGGESTION
my Y
TO
BRYAN.

How will Col. Bryan receive the sugges-
ton Of Henry Watterson, namely, that in
stead of trying to have himself nominated
and elected President in 1900 he undertake
| TO name the next President? On this point
| Mr.. Watterson says: Mr.. Bryan may not
1 be the next President If he were Presi-
dent he would in all likelihood prove moi
only a disappointment to the myriads who
imagine so many good things as certain
results of his election, but 10 himself as
we'd; for the Presidency has fulfilled the
expectations Of very few, if any, of those
who have held it and mas left in the hands
of most of them mere ashes of Dead Sea
fruit. But, If MIR. Bryan may not be Pres
ident. he may be greater than President,
he may be a maker OF Presidents; ne may
be the founder of a new Democratic dy-
nasty, taking up the line in 1901, as Jeffer-
son took it up in 1901, and conducting the
country through another century of con-
sdtuuonal government and national de
velopment and glory under Democratic
leadership"
Mr.. Watterson is satisfied that Col. Bry-
an cannot be elected in 1900, and he
is also satisfied that the Democratic party
cannot elect the next President if it re-
tains in its platform the demand for the
free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16
TO /. He reaches that conclusion from
what has taken place in the state conVen-
tons of the Democratic party in num-
Der of the Northern states. These con
ventions refused to indorse the Chicago
platform.
Mr.. WatteTson appears to be particularly
impressed by the fact that at the Demo-
cratic convention of New York The men
ton of Cot. Bryan's name called out great
applause, although the convention refused
to indorse the Chicago platform, and even
refusePto permit any one to speak on the
silver question. From this Mr.. Waiter
son concludes that Col. Bryan is popular
enough 10 name the next President, but is
not popular enough to have himself,
standing on the Chicago platform, elected
In support of his suggestion that Col.
Bryan become a President maker instead
of candidate for the presidential office,
Mr.. Watterson says the political history
OF the country shows that a defeated is
sue and a defeated candidate cannot make
a second campaign as great as the first
was. Besides, new issues are coming to
the front which must be given attention
Issues which are likely to interest the
people to a much greater extent than the
leading issues of the last campaign.
Mr.. Watterson presents his suggestion
eloquently and strongly, but it is doubt
full if it will make much of an impression
on either Col Bryan or the other Demo-
cratic leaders. 1t is hardly to be expected
that Col Bryan would take the same view
of the political situation as Mr. Waiter
son does. MIR. Watterson was a gold Dem
ocrat in the last national campaign and
the probabilities are he is still an advo-
cate of the gold standard. He thought in
1896 that silver couldn't win and he thinks
it couldn't win in 1900 On the other hand
Col. Bryan thinks that a little greater eff
fort would have won in 1896 and ne is
confident that the effort necessary to in
sure success win be made in 1900. 1t is
safe to say, therefore, that Col. Bryan
will not give MIR. Watterson's suggestion
a second thought.
OF course no one can predict with any
degree of certainty what the next eigh-
teen months viii bripg forth in the way
of political issues, but the purpose of the
Democratic leaders at present seems to be
to adopt the Chicago platform and noml,
nate Col. Bryan In 1900.