Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-03-21
FRIDAY. MARCH 81.
AS TO Mr.. BRYANs

1AAuCAuld1 AOAl UClO VI VIC 0Ch4O-
cratic National Committee who were
in town last night (some at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel, some at the Imperial
Hotel, and one or two at the Manhat-
tan OteI) wanted to say that the Hon.
William Jennings Bryan. of Lincoln,
Neb.. is rapidly becoming nuisance to
the Democratic national party.
They said that Col. Bryan seemed
to think that the future of the Dem
ocratic National party was pocketed
IN his waistcoat, and that he could
dictate the candidate for president in
1904, the candidates for governors Of
the various States, and that he should
even name the candidates for Congress
in the approaching election, not only
in New York State, but in all the
other States where Congressman are
to be elected this fall.
Col. Bryan was twice nominated by
the Democratic party for the presiden-
cy and twice failed of election. No
party, Republican or Democratic,
since the foundation of the govern.
ment, has conferred more honors on a
single man outside of Grover Cleve
land, who was nominated for the pres
ideHcy in 1884 and won, and lost in
1883, and was renOminated in 1892 and
elected.
Mr.. Bryan's Commoner is constant
ly saying sharp things of Mr.. Cleve-
land. According to Democratic ma
tiOnal prophets Mr.. Bryan has outlived
his usefulness. the Democratic party
has paid him pretty well for his alleg-
ed prominence, and that it is about
time to turn to some other statesman
in the Democratic party's councils.
The above is from the N. Y. Sun. 1t
is amusing to see how Republicans and
gold Democrats attempt to belittle
Bryan, and impress on his friends that
he Is back number, that he has out
lived bis usefulness, and how, in telling
this, they feel obliged to say something
good about Cleveland. 1t is acknowl-
edged by most people that Mr.. Bryan
is not an available candidate for the
presidency, but who is? Is the Hon.
Grover P? we'll hardly. Is David Ben
nett Hill? we'll barely hardly. 1t is
possible that under certain conditions
Mr.. Hill might be nominated, but it is
believed he would be wofully beaten.
The Hon. Grover, of course, is far
more dead than Julius Caesar, and
cannot be counted even as remote
possibility. He could not be nominal.
ed, and nobody would vote for him If
he were. David B. Hill was, of course,
a sulker and a skulker. He did a great
deal toward placing the Democratic
party in it's present plight, not as much
as Grover, but good deal. He would
now gladly pull it out of the mire if
he could, but that burden Is great
one, not because of MI. Bryan, nor the
rank and file of the party, but because
there were so many of the old party
who worshipped the golden calf. There
were so many fnanciers among the
Democrats. Every man with a share
Of bank stock or who thought he was
manufacturer bolted, 80 much afraid
was he of silver. Now the very prin-
ciple which Mr.. Bryan advocated is
De1ore US. Money or Its representa-
tive, sh;nplasters, are abundant and
and things are moving. Thus far Mr..
Bryan has been indicated. But in a
good deal he has not. The country is
in the hands of those who have assum-
ed the functions of government, it is
in the hands of the money power, and
time only will vindicate Mr.. Bryan
further in bis depreciation of shinplas-
ter money. We are glad, in the mean
time, that he has such enemies as the
N Y. Sun, the Washington Post and
other of that ilk. He is more fortu
nate in their dislike than their friend
ship. Long may he live to enjoy it.