The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-06
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS.
The Disintcresfed Criticism of
Leading Republican Orges.
. prom the New York SUM-

prom the New York SUM-
War cannot shake the philosophic mind
as this comprehensive resolution OF in
formation shows:
TO the Editor Of the gsun'-sir: There ia a
eeunnd among good many people who are
'''tfeSted to know who the master Demo
t'a'> - - county, and our club would like to
Nv :. IL you win devote the space
70 u. who ste the ten leading Democratic OF TN.
United States. the five leading Democrats OF
New iorS state. the five Of the city, and the Az.
o. each OF the states Of the Union. We would
are. 'rd we would rather have the suns iudg-
ment ss to who they than snybody's We
ksow Of. Do get the listg
Bedford. Pa. n D. K. Secretary"
We must respectfully decline to compile
catalogue Of such length. To select 225
leading Democrats is too great a task.
IL would cause us real hardship. How
for example. are We to find the five leading
Democrats OF Vermont? Probably there
are as many as five Green Mountain Demo
Gratis. but for years the fame OF only one
Of them, the Hon. Bradley b. Smaley. has
penetrated other States: and he belongs
to past epoch Of the Democratic party.
The truth is that the national Democ-
racy has only a perfunctory and official
existence in the East. Under Mr.. Bryan
the Democratic party Is given up to little
men in the East aud to violent radicals In
the West. In the South. which Is Demo-
cratic from habit and from a surviving
belief that Republicanism would imperil
white aseendency. the Democratic machine
seems TO have fallen into the hands of
seeond-elass or third-class men. Every
where there are leaderkins. but in this
democratic silver age the master Demo-
Gratis are few Take Massachusetts. for
instance Our correspondent knows the
name and fame OF the Hon. George Fred
Williams. but he will be no wiser or
happier II we mention the Hon. William
$ McNary and the Hon. Christopher T.
Callahan. Those are the three most con-
spicuous Democrats OF the Bay State Add
Col. A. G.. Drinkwater and the Hon Alexan-
der Bucephalus Bruce. or the Hon Robert
Treat Paine, jr., and you have the FIVE
leading Democrats of Massachusetts An
inspiring collection
Practically, there Is one and only one
Democratic leader. Mr. Bryan. He is far
from being a master Democrat. but he is
the undisputed Democratic master and
boss paramount
The five leading Democrats OF Manhat-
tan are the Hon. Richard Croker. The Hon.
Hugh Mclaughlin is still the master
Democrat OF Brooklyn Between the gen
uine Bryanites and most OF the men who
are really important in the Democratic
party of New York there is feeling OF
suspicion that cannot be allayed. The rigid
Bryanites nearest to the bosom Of the rec
ognized leader are mostly slight unnerit-
able men. Perhaps the Hon. Norman L.
Mack, of Buffalo. is the most energetic OF
the leaders connected with the present
regime. There is general feeling among
the conservative Democrats that nothing
can be done until Organism has been
hurried Thon affeh Lon fh..
Hon. David Bennett Hill. at present totally
submerged. and the Hon. Edward Muir
ply. partially submerged may be resus-
citated. Then. too the Hon. William Col
lirs Whitney may return from his brilliant
financial successes to tie political stage
But this lies on the knees OF the gods
There is really no leader anywhere but
Mr.. Bryan.
In the country at large are plenty Of
Baileys and Lentzes but few Democrats
with real fitness to do anything more
than splutter and make faces. In power
Of intellect, in knowledge III public affairs,
in old experience and in breadth OF view
there are few men in either party who
surpass the Hon. John Tyler Morgan. OF
Alabama. He belongs with statesmen OF
The old-fashioned Democratic type. He
holds the old Democratic faith az TO ex-
pansion. He is out OF favor with some of
me Bryan NOfSuiptIS. IN MS own state
the monkey people are attacking him.
The Hon. Arthur Pue German, OF Mary
land. is a shrewd and long headed organ
izer and manager. somewhat discredited
by his unpatriotic course during his last
days in the Senate: somewhat discredited
also by his Characteristic ambiguity. and
not honored too much for the scarcely
shining victory which he won last year by
nuffiing Democratic principles. But the
nan has brains in his head and not mere
y tinkling eymbals, such as the Hon. Jim
ZONES OF Arkansas and many Of the other
3ryanite magnates wear.
OF the true blue Bryanites one. and but
,ne, the Hon. John Peter Altgeld, seems
10 us really formidable. He has mental
power. force of statement, savage logic.
irmness Of. conviction. and grasp of his
principles. But Mr.. Altgeld has a genius
Tor quarreling. He is a disorganizer and
cannot be a successful party leader. One
statesman one shifty but clever
and one doetrinaire; that is the
ist as far as we can make il.
There are many Democrats OF respecta-
de character and talents in high places;
men like Lindsay of Kentucky, McI4aurin
II South Carolina John Warwick Daniel
# Virginia: but a composite mental pho
ograph of the Democratic leaders now
most conspicuous would show a mixture
# Champ Clark and John Jacob Lentz-
Our correspondent as a Pennsylvania.
yill pardon us for not venturing to say
my more OF the eminent Keystone leader.
'ol. Jim Gufey. than that he is more
BEAUTIFUL than some days.