The age-herald., 1900-05-13
NED BRACE WRITES OF
 PERSONS AND THINGS

Web. Davis has been to Birmingham. He made his usual Boer speech. I don't take any stock in Davis. He is a good talker, and maybe a pretty good sort of fellow in his way, but his way strikes me as be- ing the way of the politician. Davis was an assistant secretary of the interior. He got leave of absence from the government on account of his health and went to South Africa. He drew his salary while away and took advantage of his government posi- ton upon his mission to Pretoria. Instead of returning to his post of duty at Wash ington, he returned to Washington and ten dered his resignation. immediately begin ming an attack upon the president who had appointed him to his honorable and lucra- tive office. His resignation accepted he took the lecture platform on the Boer side of the South African war. The Boer side is the popular side, therefore, Web Davis. who has always occupied the center of the stage and appeals to the applause of the gallery, took 1t. With the great masses of the people of this country the Boer side is the popular side, because the impression prevails that the Boers are fighting for their liberty and their independence. As a matter of fact the English are fighting for the liberty and independence of several hundred thousand Englishmen who are now and have been for many years located in business in South Africa. Englishmen in business in South Africa have been im- posed upon, burdened with taxes and ac- corded no rights The English government simply demanded that they be given the rights as property holders enjoyed by Igi- vate Boer citizens. Out of this demand grew the war.
 Hundreds of thousands of Americans sympathize with the Boers. I don't. Yet every man has right to his own opinion. Web. Davis has right to his opinion. But 1t rather strikes me that Davis's abuse of the English is uncalled for and that his ex- treme energy and enthusiasm on the lec- ture platform is chase for future political glory.
 The populists are active and agile seek CTS after the first plums of politics They have blazed a path into the forest of dem ocratic politics that they might have an easy step, after the 4th of July to get within the democratic fold. Of course, the democrats want them and need them. The democratic party needs every vote it can get. It wants every good American citi- zen within it's ranks, provided, when such citizens come within it's ranks, they will abide by it's platform and live up to it's policies.
 The populists nominated Bryan and Towne. In the first instance 1t is well, be- cause Bryan is as certain to be the demo- cratic nominee for president as is Mckn- ley to be the republican presidential nom- :nee. As to Towne, however, the democrat ic national convention will not accept him. Towne comes from Minnesota. He is an able young man. He made one of the greatest tariff speeches ever delivered in the national house of representatives He is clean, logical and argumentative. In name he has always been a republican, though his principles have usually been democratic. He is what is known as a sil- yer, tariff-reform republican. Towne how ever served only term In congress. He has repeatedly been candidate since, but each time has been defeated. Therefore, in his own state Towne is weak. There fore, it would be foolhardy for the dem ocrats to take him up and nominate him.
 The best political opinion east among many republican leaders is that victory is within the grasp of the democratic party, provided the party exercises proper judg- ment in it's platform and it's candidates. Bryan will be the candidate for president. He will be the candidate of practically unanimous party. The vice presidential candidate should come from the east, pref erably from New York There are two men in New York, either of whom on the ticket