The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-04-18

Think That the Long Suffering PeO-
pie Will Stand Anything-The Cam
els Back Near to Brenkins-Defec-
tion of Webster Dnvis-Rhode Is
land Democrats AT Bunker Hill
Monument-The Idaho Outrages.
Especial Washington Letter.l
Democratic prospects have improved
90 per cent in so days and are still i'm
proving. Two months ago it did not
seem to an impartial observer that we
had one chance in 20 Of winning this
fall, but If the election were held next
week there can be little doubt that we
would achieve great and sweeping
victory, electing president, house
and senate. Since writing my last let
ter l have been in and through ten
states Of the Union, not one Of which
gave Bryan it's electoral vote in 1896.
find that everywhere the Democrats
are full of hope, are girding up their
loins, perfecting their organization and
Furnishing their arms for the great
conflict of 1900. or course they will
not carry all of the ten states to which
1 allude, but they will carry some of
them, and in the rest the Republicans
will know that they have been in a
fight.
On the other hand, the Republicans
are everywhere swapping and snarling
at each other. The old saying "Whom
the gods would destroy they first make
mad" is peculiarly applicable to Re-
publicans in the present eXigency of
their fate. Puffed up by success bought
with Mark Hanna's Doodle, they had
become so arrogant that they conclud-
ed that the long suffering American
people would bear all things, but the
Hay-PauncefOte treaty, the Porto Rican
tariff bill and the evident entente cor
dale existing between the administra-
tion and Great Britain were the straws
which broke the camel's back.
Webster Davis and the Beers.
The action Of Hon. Webster Davis,
who has been touring South Africa
and Investigating for himself, in re-
signing the assistant secretaryship Of
state to 80 to lecturing for the Boer
cause will make Republicans have n
creepy sensation in the region Of the
spinal marrow, for Davis Is Missouri
orator of approved capacity. For more
than three years last past he Ia been
put forward and doomed by the h ,ub-
lican press as the orator laureate OF he
administration. That that same r. s
will endeavor to belittle him now a.
discount his oratorical prowess hay
no doubt, but they will learn to their
sorrow that it is too late. With his
emotional nature and his tongue of
fire l predict that Davis will set the
country wild on the lecture platform
on behalf Of the Beers. Perhaps he
may force the administration to show
some sympathy for those brave and
heroic people who against such fearful
odds are fighting for their affairs and
their fires, for their Lares and Penates,
FOR their wives. their children, their
homes, their native land. If he does,
Webster Davis will deserve we'll at the
hands Of the American people.
spoke before the Mohawk club in
Detroit and found the Democrats en-
thusiastic to degree to warm the
cookies Of ones heart. The general de-
moralization Of Republicans over the
Porto Rican tariff bill, the Hay-Paunce-
fote treaty and other things, together
with exposures Of corruption now be-
Ing made Of local Republican matters
In Michigan, give the Michigan Demo-
Gratis hopes Of carrying the state. The
city and town April elections show
nnmnop0fin n
which way the cat will jump in No
vember.
While l was lecturing before the fac
ulty and students of Michigan univer-
slty at Ann HarbOr l received tele-
gram from Senator James IL. Jones of
Arkansas, chairman Of the Democratic
national committee, urging me, really
ordering me, to 80 to Rhode Island and
make some speeches, which did.
Rhode Island Democrats.
found the Little Rhody Democrats
fghting an up hill battle with astound-
Ing fortitude and courage. They did
not win. The odds werc too great,
but they wagcd battle which shows
that they will ultimately redeem that
little midget Of state from the malign
reign OF the Republicans. In my judg-
ment one can see Republicanism in it's
worst estate in Rhode Island They
have the unfairest nppOrtiOnment for
legislative purposes to be found on the
American continent. 1t is so arranged
that the city Of Providence. which con-
tains nearly half the population Of the
state, has only one state senator out of
81 and only II members of the lower
house out Of %. The Democrats have
always fighting chance Of carrying
Providence. but not much of carrying
the outlying rotten boroughs. EX-Gov-
ernOr Davis told me that under the
outrageous appOrtionment 1t was so
fixed that about 36 600 npODlp ont Of