Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-16
THE DEMOCRATIC FUTURE
GOSSIP AS TO BRYAN IN 1904 RE-
VIVED.
Chiefly Concerned i'm Holding the
Party to It's Present Policy
Possibilities In Congress-.

The visit Of Mr. w. J. Bryan to the east,
especially his presence in Washington for a
few hours, has excited gossip anew on the
subject of his possible candidacy In 1904
The statement has been sent out from here
that in conversation with friends he dis
closed himself as a continuous candidate
The understanding among some of his
closest friends is quite the contrary of this
inference. AS a matter of fact, the demo-
cratic leaders are not occupying themselves
to any great extent just now with the dis
cussion of possible candidates for their par
ty in 1904. The thing which concerns them
most at this time is the question Of get
ting the party into shape to afford some
hope of success to whomsoever they may
nominate. 1t is positively known that Mr.
Bryan does not now regard himself as a
candidate for third nomination, and that
though he will probably make no announce
nent of a more definite character than he
has already made, he has no expectation
# becoming a candidate again. That qucs-
on might have been regarded as settled
len he reached the decision to establish
newspaper.
An !agOnism to Cleveland Democrats.
The best-nformed men in his party tilrr-
oughly realize that candidate he would
not have entered upon this new venture.
Bry2ns chief object for the future is to
aid as much as lies in his power IN hold
ing the party to the general line of policy
with reference TO national questions to
which 1t is now committed. He is the CEN
tral figure of antagonism to the idea ad-
Nanced by Cleveland and those of the
Cleveland school for the regeneration of
the party along new lines. In the antag-
onism of this idea, the continued candidacy
of Bryan is not held in contemplation by
Bryan and his friends, and it is believed
that the only contingency under which his
name would be allowed to go before the
convention would be q practical certainty
that the element opposed to the present
party policy would otherwise get control
of the convention. If it were necessary in
order to hold the party organization in the
hands of those who believe with him Bryan
might be made candidate, but this con-
tlngency is not expected to arise.
When the time comes the followers of
Bryan expect to be able to find candidate
who can hold their forces together and
prevail over the opposing faction. Mean
While they are too much concerned about
immediate questions of party organization
and legislative program to give much time
to the consideration of things as remote as
the l9o4 convention.
Must. Make Campaign CAPITAL.
1t Is generally understood that Mr. Hill
of New York designs to be a candidate in
1904 and that there will be determined
effort to nominate candidate occupying a
poSilioH loWd u tuc present party organ
ization similar to that of Mr. Hill but
the party managers feel that the condi-
tions under which the next presidential
campaign will be fought depend so much
upon developments of the future that all
calculations based upon the. present are
liable to be overturned The next session
of Congress will be that Immediately pre-
ceding congressional election, and the
democrats are already trying to get them
selves in trim for the execution of a vgor-
Gus party policy The utter absence of
Vigor, except in the matter Of the fight
which Jones of Arkansas conducted against
the ship subsidy BILL has so shamed those
who could not get themselves worked up
to fighting condition during the session of
Congress recently closed that they are in
a frame of mind to try to demonstrate
when they have another chance-that they
are capable of organizing a respectable op-
position. They are occupied now In trying
to catch their breath after the handling
they got at the last session and in trying
to band themselves together for action in
the future. There is very general feeling
among democrats that they have got to
make a record suitable for campaign pur-
poses before they can, with any wisdom,
begin the making of candidates for 1894
and that 1t is not improbable that events
within the next two or three years may
wipe out the present lines of factional di-
vision within the partv