The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-11-28
The Richmond Dispatch Of last Fri

Lis hIOumOuu DiopoVNh vi i"''
day says;
I'VE print the following paragraph
from the Kansas City Journal. but
must caution ouI readers against some
Of It's statements, especially that one
which undertakes TO state Senator DAN
isl's position Nor do we assume any
responsibility for what is said about
Mr.. Bryau's prospects The item is Of
personal interest TO the people Of vir'
ginis, and here II Is;
Fusion leaders in Kansas, from
John Breidenthal down, with the ex-
oeptiou OF J. u. Johnston and J Mack
Love, privately admit that Colonel W
J BRYAN has no show OF election 90 the
presidency next year. While they feel
lost as friendly as ever toward the Ne
Oraska man, and in no way can they be
considered anti. Bryanites. yet they re.
gard his candidacy as q forerunner OF
certain defeat. They say there is no
possible show for the election OF Dem
ocrat who is not on friendly terms with
the Eastern Democrats. Entertaining
this view, there lie considerable talk
Just now among them OF making over
lures with the Eastern Democrats for
compromise. Senator Daniel, OF Vir-
ginia, seems TO be the man on whom
they have fixed their eye as q good COM
promise candidate. While he Is a sill
YER Democrat he is not In favor OF
showing the silver question ahead Of all
other questions in the next campaign
In fact he wants it relegsted 80 the
rear. Many Of the Kansas Fusion lead
ers believe that he would be satisfac.
tory 30 the D. mocrats Of the East. and
they say he would be eminently salts
factory TO those west Of the Mlssissip'
pi."
On Saturday the Richmond Times re.
produced the foregoing and said:
1--WE believe that in this suggestion
may be found the solution Of problem
which confronts the Democratic party
today. Fl"
On Sunday the Dispatch had an art
icls on the subject. concluding with
this very. very, very mild paragraph
1T would seem TO be premature for
us to try to guess what amendments to
the Chicago platform he will suggest
much more so TO consider him as q
competitor Of Mr.. Bryan's for the NOM
inRtion.
On Sunday the Times had a double
column cut and Washington letter
with these glaring head lines
"A Strong Sentiment Steadily Grow
ing in His Favor as the Available
Dem ocratic Nominee for Highest Gift
from the Nation. Press Spreads the
Movement In Washington the Sc
lection is Regarded by Many Of the
Leading Democrats as q Happy One 4"
Anti Bryshists Favor II. "Msjor
Daniels Name Would Have the Effect
OF Bringing in Line the Solid South. J."
ALSO the West aud the Pacific Coast "
Congressman Bankhead, Of Alabama.
Who is q Candidate for Minority Lead
err, Favors the Movement. " "Oon.
gresham Wheeler Pays the Vireinisn
q High Tribute "
The Free Lance has only this COM
ment TO make upon it, that the en-
dorsement Of the Richmond Times.
Stauuton News and others shows 1t TO
be the inspiration Of the Palmer and
Buckner people, and the whole sugges-
ton OF Daniels candidacy at this time
seems to be absolutely impossible and not
TO be taken seriously. and that its only
object IL an effort Of the seeding DEM
ocrsts to defeat Bryan's nomination
next year; and II the inspiration is not
the trick Of Mark Hanna and the New
York bankers. IL nevertheless looks
80. The Daniel boom will
die 9 bornin. and 1t looks very much
now 90 IL 1t were the beginning Of the
end Of Daniel as Democratic leader
And II The Free Lance has a horoscope
Of the future it is this; Far more like
" Mckinley and Daniel as the Repub'
Iicsn ticket in 1900 than Daniel as a
Democratic presidential candidate in
that year. judging from the sketch Of
Senator D. g speech, copied from the
Times. which was delivered in Rich
nond last week and found elsewhere.
The attitude Of Mr.. Martin is now in
volved in darkness, but doubtless IL
will be made know unmistakably after
December goth next. The Legislature
IN that day chooses an U. 8. Senator
Tor six years from March 4, 1901. 1t
will probably be his Christmas gift
to his fellow Virginia Democrats or
Use happy New Years address.