Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-02-01
BRYAN and BRYANISM.


Il
| New York Evening Post, Jan. 23d.
Mr.. Bryan's reappearanc in the East,
coming Us he does only few mon tbs
before the assembling Of the Demo-
cratic national convention, calls atten-
tion anew to the extraordinary position
! in his party which he occupies. He was
beaten fol the Presidency in 1896 by a
| plurality of over GOO, GOO indeed, count
/ ing the Palmer and Buckner Democrats
against him, he was in minority OF
nearly three quarters Of million, leav-
\ ing the Prohibition ticket and the other
odds aud ends outof the account. Yet
everybody of any political sense sees
that he seems today sure of another
nomination.
1t is no new thing in American
politics for leader who has been de-
feated to retain his hold upon his party.
In the first half of the century, Jack.
sons defeat by John Quincy Adams in
! 1924 only assured his support, this time
successfully, in 1928; and Clay's defeat
by jackson in 1892 did not prevent his
party from putting him in the field
once more in 1874. In more recent
| times it Was clear to tho philosophical
observer, from the day of Cleveiand's
defeat in 1883, that he was the pre-
destined candidate of the Democracy
in 1899.
But oil Of these were cases where
everybody could see that the loader
jackson, Clay, Cleveland-was man
of unquestioned strength. Even the
Hill politicians who got up the i.apap"
convention in this State, eight years
ago, knew that they were playing a
bluff gamen when they gave out that
Cleveland could not carry his own
State But the men who have in the
past been the leaders in tho Demo-
cratic party, the men whose judgment
up to 1896 always carried weight in it's
councils, are now practically luminous
in the belief that Bryan is weak can.
didate, and that his second nomination
will mean only another defeat. People
note this striking fact, and they wonder
that, in the face OF il, the party should
evidently be drifting towards second
catnpaign under his leadership.
The reason that one might as well
whistle against the wind as expect to
prevent the nomination Of Bryan next
summer is because Bryan has now pre-
cisely the same sort of hold upon, the
masses which went to the polls In his
support, four years ago, that Jackson
| uhu NutD tbb N vi 1870 thul6
on, and Cleveland ...n the Democratic
convention of 1892 was approaching.
What people living along the north
Atlantic coast line forget is that this
fringe of States, including though it
does the most populous commonwealth,
contains bus a small part of the Ameii-
can people. The whole North Atlantic
division" in the last census division
Of States. which COMP ised all of New
England, New York, New Jersey and
Pennsylvania, even If we throw in
Delaware and Maryland for good meas
ure, contained 10 1890 only about 30
per cent Of the country's total Iopuia-
ticn. Beyond the A lleghanies and south
of the Potomac, nobody questions
Bryan's popularity as a leader.
Moreover, the North Atlantic coast
group of States has lost its old hold
upon the Democratic organization. For
80 years after the Civil War, every
Democratic candidate for the Presi-
dency was selected with reference to
his strength IN the doubtful States
of New York and its neighburs, Con-
necticut and New Jersey. More than
once Democratic politicians from the
South and West accepted nominees
whom they did not like because they
were here considered sure to carry
these three States. This was particu-
larry tue when Cleveland came to the
} front in 1884. and many of the Southern
delegates personally much preferred
Bayard, Hendricks, or some other
tried and true veteran
But this corner of the nation no
: longer carries its old weight in the
nominating convention. When Bryan
came East during the last Presidential
campaign, he spoke of "going into the
enemy's county The masses in the
! South and West, who support him SO
, enthusiastically, still regard New York
, State and her neighEors in this light.
New York City is to them the head
quarters of "plutocracy. They abomi-
nate its influence in THEN own PARTY
, quite as much as in the other. That
/ Bryan was ostentatiously snubbed in
! Maryland the other day, through the
influence of German, and that almost
/ all the bankers and business men in
New York hold aloot from him now
that he is here, only strengthens his
hold throughout the country generally.
The rank and file Of the Bryanite or
, eanization would rather see Mckinley
reelected than to have Bryan set aside
/ and so called Democrat elected who,
, to their minds, would run the govern
ment in the interest Of favored Glasses.
, These considerations explain Bryan's
, impending nomination, with the en-
, thusastic support of his Earty as a
) whole. lis leadership is confirmed,
pnst oil possibility of shaking 1T off, by
, the fact that be is absolutely without
, rivals The name of any Gold Demo.
, ctat would be ihooted oue of the con-
vention hall. The ,nly other politicians
; erer prominent in the party, who are
even mentioned, arc German and
/ Hill-Gorman, whose odious record in
Maryland gave the Republicans the
State government for four years and
both tho United States Senatorsbirs,
/, ard Hill, who is only disagreeable
, reminiscence 10 Now York,
, Bryan Is thus sure of the nomination.
> The chances of his election constitute
a different question. II is sufficient tc
! say OF that question now, that the Re.
, publican Congress will greatly promote
, Sose chances IL it shall endorse the
extrayagant and reckless schemes which
, Hanna is zealously pushing in behalf
i of the Mckinley syndicate.
Caring for Plants.
, | woman CARRYING the remnant ne F.,