The representative., 1899-11-16
WAR ON BRYAN.

Walter Wellman, correspondent Of
the Chicago Times-Herald, writes as
follows:
WASHINGTON. Nov. 12.-Mr Bryan may
have to fight for his nomination after ALL
Evidences multiply that Democratic unrest
under the present conditions is increasing
at a rapid rate, and unless something can
be done to stop it the leader of 1896 may
possibly be dethroned in 1900. All
through the East and South prominent Dem
ocrats are showing. more or less privately
their disgust at the prospect of naming
Mr.. Bryan for the simple purpose of march
ing to certain defeat. They have nothing
against Mr.. Bryan personally. In fact, they
rather like him, and admire him very much.
But as practical men they think a defeat
in advance><ld a spiritless campaign some
what too high price to pay for the pleas
ure of following even such a magnihcenet
and eloquent leader as he. l have reason
to believe, from certain facts that have
come to my knowledge, that after the ses-
sion OF congress begins a systematic effort
will be made among influential Democrats
to find out just how much support could be
gained II movement to sidetrack Mr..
Bryan were started. 1t is an easy guess
that this inquiry will have it's initiative
In the cloakrooms on the Democratic side
OF the senate, where it is the habit of the
leaders from states to hold experience meet
ings of more or less secret character.
1t Is matter of remark here, and l be-
lieve the foundation of it comes from trust
worthy sources, that John R. Mclean, the
isfed that the presence of Mr.. Bryan in the
Ohio campaign did no good for the ticket
in which Mr.. Mclean was interested. In
fact. 1t is said Mr.. Mclean, among the 9TH
er causes of distress of which he spoke in
semi official way the other day, is dis
oCnd Qf Cf rto}r AnFo
for the Democratic party next year under
the banners of the man from Nebraska.
Senator Daniel of Virginia, is another who
feels the same way, and Senator Morgan, of
Alabama. who recently announced that his
party had nothing left to do but to go back
to free silver, Is unusually sad in all his
representations.
In Virginia especially the anti-Bryan
feeling, born of despair appears to be grow
Ing quite rapidly. Former Gov. Cameron,
of that state, is quoted today in expressions
which scarcely conform with that stripe of
Democracy which Mr.. Bryan stands for,
and day or two ago the Richmond Times,
organ of the old Dominion Democracy, most
-feelingly expressed the desires of the party
in that state to get back to old time prin-
ciples, hard money and expansion. These
are only examples of the outcroppings of
unrest now apparent in the South and East,
and Mr.. Bryan will do we'll to remember
that If the South and East should happen to
combine against him 1t would take good
deal more than the state of Nebraska and a
speech to save the day. Before the war
shall be over 1t is not at all unlikely that
Mr.. Bryan will find it to his interests to
come down to Washington, and labor with
some of the Democratic brethren of the
senate.
From the columns Of the Washington Post
OF this morninp I clip the following inter-
esting paragraph
What does it profit us if Mr.. Bryan gains
his own state of Nebraska and loses the
electoral vote of Maryland and Kentucky?"
said Judge F. L. Davidson, of Georgia, at
the Ebbitt House. Il know thousands of
Southern men, Bourbon Democrats like my
self, who are getting restive as regards
Col. Bryan. We are getting tired of his
attitude as chronic candidate. But, worse
than that, we are getting out of patience
with the idea of choosing candidate whose
defeat seems inevitable. l know that the
Bryan shouters and the whole gang of Chi
cago platform fanatics will tell us he is a
sure winner in 1900 To me this seems the
acme of lunacy. How can he win in 1900?
What states can he carry? OF course, he
will sweep the South from the Potomac to
the Rio Grande, but could any man the
Democratic convention might nominate.
Can he carry Maryland? Will Delaware
stand by him? Will New Jersey indorse free
silver? Bryan could not begin to win in
any of these normally Democratic states
any platform that human ingenuity could
devise 1t seems to me that it is about
time to cast about for a candidate that
might stand some show of winning, instead
of hanging to one foredoomed to lose"
The larceny of part of the Populist
platform of 1896 was we'll enough, as
trick, to head off the Peoples party but
it is proving a chunk of dynamite in the
hands of Democracy, to blow it into
smithereens.
Tricks never pay in the long rum
They are too "wobbly" to build on.
l. D.