Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-04-13
THE DEWEY CANDIDACY.

THE DEWEY CANDIDACY.
The New York Tribune thus sum
mariZes the democratic situation and
the Importance of the candidacy of
Admiral Dewey for the presidency:
Admiral Dewey will never hear from
the American people, it is probable,
what they really think of his political
utterances. The natural kindness
Of feeling toward one who has served
the country well in the sphere for
which he had training will hinder
frank comment on his idea that the
president has not much work to do;
that it is a small matter to execute
laws. as if the share of lawmaking
power intrusted to the chief magistrate
so the selection of agents by the hun
the country; that his personal con-
victions make no difference if any
body of fellow citizens wishes to run
him for president; that the men who
have sought that high office merit con-
temptuous mention, and that his per-
sonal abilities seem to the country to
outweigh many years of labor in ma
turing of naval power by far-sighted
legislation. and in promoting the hap
plness and prosperity of the country
by wise laws affecting all Industries
and business. A man who discloses
such a conception of the functions and
duties of the president will be elected
about as soon as the funniest clown
in each state is chosen governor.
But there is a stern and sober side
of this business also. 1t is a startling
revelation that some of the ablest and
best democrats in the country think
the nomination of such a candidate
more worthy Of their party than the
denomination of the candidate who
was beaten in 1896 and who appears to
have a mortgage on the nomination
this year. Truly, the candidate to
whom even the innocent Dewey can
be preferred must be a strange repre-
sentative of II of the two great
parties. Nothing more severe has
been or can be said of Mr.. Bryan than
this-that able, experienced and en-
inently influential democratic leaders
think it would be a gain for the ticket
to put Dewey instead of Bryan at it's
head. They are probably wrong. 1t
is their misfortune not to know how
low their party has fallen. But their
treatment of the name of Dewey is
sufficient evidence that they have a
clear idea of Mr.. Bryan's fitness and
of the danger to the country which the
election Of any such person would in
volve.
Presumably the people who hope
that Mr.. Dewey's name will be of great
Importance conceive that the demo-
cratic voters in all sections will as
readily support the admiral, with his
notions about executive authority. as
MI. Bryan with all the zeal of western
and southern democrats for a financial
and industrial revolution. It is little
they know of their own party. Never
have they offered a more respectable
excuse for their support of such a party
than their evident ignorance of the
temper and purposes which it's western
and southern elements have shown so
plainly, and which have been potent
enough in eastern states to land high
and dry on the banks men who were
formerly leaders of the highest influ-
ence. Until they know more of their
W party, more Of it's passionate de-
sire to overthrow all that is able and
conservative in American self-govern-
ment and all that has made industrial
progress here the wonder of tile
world, they can hardly estimate with
any approach to accuracy the cOnse-
quences of the overthrow of BRYAN,
which many of them hope. to accom-
plish.
The straight truth is that Mr.. Bryan
is for the best of reaSOnS the fayorita
OF that great section of the democracy
which is not in the populist party only
because it has been able to control the
democratic party. With Mr.. Bryan
laid aside as a democrat. he would at
once appeal as the populist candidate
and with Irresistible force to western
and southern men as Just as good q
democrat as he was in 1896, when they
supported him. The rupture of DEM
ocratic forces would be i%rrepalable.
Republicans could desire no better
outlook. 1t is not to be supposed
that the long headed democats who
favor the appearance of Admiral
Dewey IN the field have desired II
such result. But it would be the only
one possible if they should succeed in
tllrusting MI. Bryan out of the demo-
cratic national convention, beaten
where he was victorious, and if they
have anything to gain it must be in
the years to come after the campaign
of 1900 shall have been forgotten by
many. Democrats might then be raj
lied. Nothing but the dispersal and
defeat OF the party can this year fol-
low the attempt to put up somebody in
place of Bryan as the democratic can
didate.
WHAT IS REHIND DEWEY