The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-08-18


| he game" Through the Posts spectacles
IL appears that the Tammany boss. re-
garding the nomination Of Bryan as az
most inevitable, has put Tammany in
| line with what he believes IS most likely
TO be the sentiment and policy of the
national Democracy. but has not put
Tammany I'm a position from which ne
cannot dexterously and gracefully extri-
| cate himself II circumstances should rem
der a support Of a new candidate on a
sound money platform advisable.
We thank our Washington contem-
porsry for turning its X-ray into the in
nermost political anatomy Of the Tam
many chief. and we shall study the sub
sect at our leisure and in the light Of
subsequent developments. Yet all is not
yet quite clear We know fun well that
Mr.. Croker is playing for position. lie
has made advances towards Mr.. Bryan
and # may be that MIR. Bryan has made
advances towards him. Mr.. Bryan is
evidently ia more conciliatory mood
than he was year or two aeo, and it
may be that he and Mr.. Croker and all
other Democrats will in the near future
find themselves comfortably together on
"a compromise ground There is a world
Of meaning and deal Of truth in the
old saying that politics makes strange
bed-fellows.
For the rest Of #. the Post says that
The Times is in error FIRST I'm saying that
Mr. Bryan has no genius for leader
ship" and second I'm holding him respon-
sble for the disasters which have over
taken the Democratic party. With re-
gard to the first proposition. it is the
Post that is I'm error The Times did not
say that Mr. Bryan was not a leader.
I'm saving that because Of the blight Of
Organism no man in the party had dur
ing the past several years risen ont OF
the muck OF mediocrity, we did not mean
10 include Mn Bryan. Mr. Bryan is un-
doubtodly a leader But there are lead
ers and leaders. Mr Bryan is a man or
great magnetism. leader who sways the
multitude as perhaps no other man I'm this
country is able to do. When he stretches
forth his hands over crowd it is as
though ne had put his hands upon the
heads Of every one of his listeners, causing
his magnetism to thrill them as if by the
touch Of a live wire. Mr.. Bryan did not
create the sentiment which controlled the
Chicago convention Of 1896. The flame
was there. but by the breath Of his ora
tory ne famed il into a great conhagra-
ton which swept over the country 1t is
tribute 10 Mr. Bryans influence and
genius for leadership that the silver ques-
ton has been kept alive until this day.
But for him men had long since ceased
10 talk about the free coinage of silver
Everybody knows that as an original pro-
position the Democratic party would not
think of going into the campaign Of $500
with free silver as its leading issue.
Such a suggestion would be thrown aside
as an absurdity.
We go further and say that with Mr..
Bryans candidacy eliminated the Demo-
cratic party would not seriously consider
free silver as leading issue. But Mr.
Bryan is popular and many people want
him TO head the ticket I'm 1899, but fear
that ne would be embarrassed and weak
ened if put in the attitude of abandoning
his pet theory.
We say that the disasters which have
'overtaken the Democratic party date
from the time that it first became a free
than any other man 10 keep the free sill
Yer issue alive. he is, therefore more re
sponsible than any other man for the
party's misfortunes. Mr.. Bryan is un-
doubtedly a leader but he has led the
party to defeat and not TO victory. and
he will continue to do SO. if he leads them
by the doctrines of the Chicago platform.
Atlantic City is the mecca for pilgrims