The Monte Vista journal., 1899-02-18
THE FIRST BLOW.

candidates are usually made. Nc
kinley is to be renominated by
the packing houses and the other
army contractors. That much is
settled. In the democratic party,
it is the field against Bryan. Mr..
Henry Watterson, southern ar
,s'ocrat, leads the opposition and
fires the first gun for Dewey.
Among other things Mr.. Waiter
son says:
No reasonable person could ex.
pect those who are responsible for
the ILL starred movement of 1896
to look with favor, or even with
patience, upon the suggestion of
u plan to change, or in the slight
est degree to vary, the existing or
der in the democratic party. These
gentlemen do not seem to realize
the desperate condition to which
laundering leadership has reduced
the party of which they became
by chance the official heal But
have the rank and file no voice in
the matter, and may not soma au-
dience OF sympathetic readers be
found before it is too late in the
rank and file, whose interests have
been and are yet being so hacked
and butchered? According to or
dinary calculations, it is over ear-
ly to talk about presidential tick
cts to be nominated eighteen
months hence. and therefore the
democratic party managers in au-
thority are getting together IN
committee rooms and other quiet
places aud renominating Mr.. Bry-
an, without much or any talk. I'm.
less the democratic voters inter.
pose there Is little reason to doubt
that, when the time arrives, the
old ticket, and the platform of
1896, all cut and dried, will be
ready prepared, both cooked and
primed, for the outsiders to ratify.
II it suits them it must suit me.
II 1 am to be lead 20 destruction l
have no special choice either as to
my escort or my executioner. But,
is it treason to protest? Is it sac-
rilege to suggest? May not poor
newspaper writer exercise his
function by the attempt to point
out different course; to foreshad.
ow what he thinks more hopeful
plan Of campaign; nay, even il it
il TO be funeral, to sketch anoth.
er possible rout for the procession?
at is said Dewey Is not demo-
crat. Taylor war not a Wing nor
Grant republican. Both served
excel!ently we'll the purposes in
tended; and. although the episode
OF 1879 is not very reassuring to
democrats, the nomination OF Dew
ey by the democratic party would
put no greater strain upon the sv-
erage sense Of the fitness of things,
or upon political exigencies mud
possibilities. than was put upon
them by the nomination of Horace
Greeley.
During forty years from 1860
to 1900, the democrats have car.
ried but two presidential elections,
those Of 1854 and 1892. Both
were accidents. In 1884 it took
Burchsrd and Conkling, greatly
ass'sted by Providence, TO beat
Blaine and to pull Cleveland
through by the hair OF his head,
which WAS growing dangerously
scsnt In 1892 the Homestead
riots revolutionizcd tho vote OF tho
labor unions and transferred it
bodily to tho democrats from the
republicans, who were held respon.
sible for tho bloody intrusion Of
the Pink-rtons aud tho rcprcssive
measures Of tho government. All
that tho democrats got Of Clevc.
land was the slaughter.housc of
tho succeeding administration. aud
tho open grave into which. in 1896,
William Jennings Bryan walked.
II tho folly be continued into 1900
If it bc sought TO reproduce the
ticket and issues Of 1896, with mn
snti.expausion plank added there
will bo nothing left for tho mourn.
ers to do after the event exccp. TO
close the open grave snd To plant
some flowers above the last rc.