The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-01
WILLIS J. ABBoTT's LETTER.
AN INTERESTING VIEW OF THE
POLITICAL FIELD.

mission rSOme Comments on Se!Gss-
tor CIark,s ese-ntheH Matters OF
General Interest.
Special Correspondence of the Morning
News.
Chicago, March 30-The feature in po-
litical gossip during the week has been
the very vigorous suggestion of the name
of Tom L. Johnson of New York and
Ohio for chairman of the next Democratic
National Committee. The idea has been
discussed quietly among public men for
some time past, but l think the first pub
lie expression of it was made by Mr.. AL
fred Henry Lewis of the Verdict in an ed
itorial of characteristic force and pic
turesque diction. The suggestion was
promptly taken up by the single takers,
and Louis Post in the last number of his
paper the Public, devotes three columns
to the exposition Of Mr.. Johnson's .posi-
ton on public questions and plea for
his selection for that important post.
Gov. Stone of Missouri in a recent in
terview antagonized Mr.. Johnson, ] think,
rather unjus ly. He declared that the plan
to select Johnson for chairman was but
scheme of Palmer and Buckner, gold
Democrats, to get control of the organi-
zation and to eliminate silver from the
Democratic creed. Now there are few men
more thoroughly out of sympathy with
the whole Palmer Buckner crowd than is
Tom johnson. l worked with him shou der
TO shoulder in the last campaign of Henry
George in the city of New York, and
know how heartily he is in accord with
the spirit of the Chicago platform, and
how greatly he admires Mr. Bryan. The
revolt in the Democratic party which
/ i -f,rn4s
lives of monopoly and plutocracy and
which brought the present leaders to the
top, awakened Tom Johnson's enthusiasm
as nothing except the single tax has been
able to, and in saying this l say it with
the entire knowledge of the fact that he
does not believe in free coinage at 10 to
J. as the ultimate solution of the curren-
cy question. Then is he a gold bug?"
Far from it. He believes in. greenbacks
and stands ready to accept silver as a
halfway house on the road thii her, and
you Will find that there are many-yes, an
uucounted number of silver Democrats
who hold to the same opinion. In 1896
Johnson was loyal to the ticket. Since
then he has constantly refrained from
alying himself with the enemies, open
or covert, of Mr.. Bryan. He led the only
considerable revolt made in the name of
The Chicago platform against the quib-
bling and eVasive methods CT Tammany
Hall in New York. HIS record is clear and
h value to the Democratic party in any
position would be incalculable.
Now in saying all this l do not mean o
say that l advocate the selection OF Mr..
Johnson as chairman Of the National Com
mttee. In the first place, l am coofid ent
that if Senator James X. Jones desI,eS 20
fill The place again, ii will BE- urged upon
him. Only the people who had oogCi-
zance in the inner operations of the cam
1fl4a grlyl Il
were the results attained with the means
that Senator Jones had at hand. The m
who are attacking him now are in The
main The men who were Of doub full loyal
ty in '96 and are still a questionable quan-
tity in our ranks. 1 have never heard
from Senator Jones. though in cons ant
communication with him, one word 10 in
dictate that he would be viii ing TO rtn2w
his responsibility for the political cond Ict
of party affairs, but l am perfectly conf
dent that if he does. tina, respors bill ty
will be placed upon him. As for Mr.. john
son, in a conversation l had with him
within three weeks, ne EXPIRE seEd his will
lingness to aid in the coming campaign in
an position which il might seem t. the
National Committee he could best fill, but
TO some degree he was comps lied . defer
any imemdiate activity by the fact thu
he was about 20 start for EuroI e to lem in
until about the time OF the Kansas C.tj
Convention. I believe he is abroad al tAa
present moment. 1t was this fact thai
rendered il impossible for him TO TAKE the
presidency of the National LeagUe f
Democratic Clubs. had it been offered
him Certainly being absent from the
Uniled States, he is 10 be absclYed of NJ
share in the agitation now ing condu,t-
ed for his elevation to the position Of a.
tional chairman.
The Press bulletin of The National Com
nittee this week contains very illiant
piece of satire entitled The lmyeriaisl
Religion" written by Mr.. Charles s.
Spahr of the staff of the New York Cut
look, a paper which is edited by DR.. Z y
man Abbott The Outlook, beginning rs
an expans!onist paper, has developed into
frank Imperialism. having gene 50 far IS
to assert that government rests On moth
ing whatsoever except force. Mr.. ) abr is
an earnest anu-imperiaist, and while uu-
able.to express his views in a peri2dic } o.
which he is one Of the editors, has written
with vigor and enthusiasm for Other pub
LEGATIONS. In 1885 the New York journal,
before it had concluded to frankly support
tho free coinage of silver at 16 to l, COZ
Quoted a debate as TO the merits of the
single and double standard. Mr.. Spahr
wrote the articles favoriuS bimetallism,
and Mr. Bryan w. Hot who has
charge of The literary bureau of the
New York Reform Club, defended the gold
standard. Mr.. Spahr has also written an
able and popular book on the distribution
Of wealth. and is authority on questions
relating to taxation. l append part #
his "imperiaHst religion" Beside the por-
ton quoted, a creed and a table of ten
commandments are also included.
The Prayer.
q Thou, who dost exalt the mighty and
put down those of low degree, crush, we
beseech thee. the struggles of the FIN
ninos for independence Force them to
recognize that freedom is only the right
Of che stronger races and that, although
they are willing to die for II, they are not
IN 10 live in It. May they and all men
forget the Declaration of Independence.
or if they remember it, may they also
remember that il was not intended to ap-
ply to Malays. Strengthen in us the pride
Of men and the exating conviction that
we are not as other men are. Help US
TO scorn the Filipinos as children unworthy
of the rights which our ancestors had
from the days of barbarism. May we
subject them to alien military rule, know
ing that this is the school In which self
e,overnnnpnt and manhood are developed.