Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-30
IS BRYAN STRCNc?

1nasmuch as Mr.. Bryan is the onl,
gentleman conspicuously before the pub.
lie at the present time for the democratic
nomination for the presidency in 1900, the
question of his political strength is OF
immediate concern, both to those who
will tender him a cordial support and
those who will diligently seek his defeat.
For the first time in it's history, perhaps,
the democratic party finds itself bereft of
men of sufficient prominence to be SER
iously considered in connection with the
presidency, as against the aspirations of
Mr.. Bryan.
Prior to the factional disturbances of
1896 there was never a time when at least
half a dozen prominent democrats might
not have gathered about them a respect
able following in pursuit of a presiden-
tial nomination. But the boiling demo-
Gratis OF that year carried out of the regu-
lar organization all it's available presi-
dental limbs with the exception of Mr..
Bryan. 1t would be deemed a sacrilese
W tAC dCN
to name for the highest office in the gift
OF the nation a mar who was untrue to
the aspirations of Mr.. Bryan in 1895.
hence the field of availability has been
narrowed down. as the situation now pre-
sents itself, to the candidacy of the
standard bearer in tina eventful cam
paign.
Democratic papers favorable to the
nomination of Bryan profess a certain
amount of delight in trying to show that
he is no weaker than he was in 1896, |
duty to their party to show that he is
stronger, provided they can do so. They
point with pride to the fact" thai the
democracy of the states tina went for
Bryan in 1896 are for him in 1900, just as
if that proved anything in the measure
of his political strength. In the first
place, it is not known as yet whether the
states that gave their electoral votes to
Bryan in 1896 will do the same in 1900.
That is merely a surmise which may or
may not prove true.
But should he receive every vote given
him in 1896 he will still require a great
deal of additional strength before he can
get within sight of the white house.
There is a contingency upon which his
friends have not figured, namely, the
question of initial advantage should
Bryan and Mckinley again make the race
as competitors for the presidency. The
latter could enter the campaign without
having lost any of the votes cast for him
in 1896, while the former will have lost
the votes Of the silver republicans and
populists, which conservative estimates
place at 5000, 900.
Having repudiated the policy of co.
operation, the democrats can count only ]
on the small percentage of silver renuh-
means n populists absorbed by their
organization. The great mass of
these two parties, having refused to be-
democrats in 1886, when free coin
age was the paramount issue, will car. .
ta1nly refuse to take that step in 1900 i
when the democracy is confessedly irving {
to retire the free coinage question ia
make room for another paramount Issue y
The democrats may, therefore,, safely |
on the loss of nearly if not quite g
900 ooo votes to start with. Without ac- a
to Mckinley any of the votes o
lost to Bryan, it will be seen that tho !
initial advantage 10 clearly in the inter- l
est of the former. a
Bryan must make up this loss in Some L
way IN order to start where he left off S
present the outlook for him in ,b.t S
lifectlon is anything but cheerful. Tho a
1sht which the democracy is maxine II
against the efforts of the government to II
the %Filipinos is wideninp Tho q
preach between that party and the si,var u
ep"ohcans. Even so radical and pro- It
bounced AN advocate Of silver as Senator
'eller denounces the so-called .an,;-in a.
movement as unpatriotic and el
MUST. On a platform of that tyne Rrvan OF
annot hold to his standard even tbose II
liver men who are willing to make al b.
lost any sacrifice within reason for the q,