BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-05-20
SAr1JUAN, MAYO 20
Who will be the NextDe-
mocratic Candidate for
President of the
United States?
William j.. Byran Will Probably
not be considered.

Mr.. BRYAN has intimated more than
once of late that he Wo11ld not be can-
didate for the Presidential nomination
in 1904. If he designed these announ-
cements as "feelers," to test the sentl-
ment of the Democratic party, he must
have been impressed with the plain
manifestations of relief at the prospect
of his withdra al fr m leadership. AT
any rate, he has apparently decided
that his best policy is to renounce am
bition for another nomination. and be
was thus definite at banquet in Biz
mingham, Ala.
During his speech Mr.. Bryan init
mated that he would rot again be
candidate for the Presidential nomina-
ton. In referring to the subject he
likened himself to Aaron, who he said,
assisted Moses in leading the children
of Israel oft of the wilderness by his
public utterauces He said he was per-
fectly willing 10 let some other person
take the part of Moses.
Where is TIE new Democratic Moses?
That is the question which everybody
naturally asks, and there Tolld be no
approach to agreement among those
who should answer. It is worth whlle
to point out, however, that it has repea-
tedly happened that men have become
national leaders who were hardly
thought of as possible Presidential can
didates two years and a half before the
election. 1t is nov May. 1902, and the
next President will be chos N in No
ve1nber. 1901, In May, 1894, Mr.. Br ian
himself was serving his second term in
the House of Representatives but it is
safe to say that not one human
being, either in Congress or outside it.
then dreamt Of such thing as his
being the Democratic candidate for
President, two, ears aid half later
and becoming 50 n ;oh lie / aster Of
the party oTg.l: zion that 10 other
name than his W juld be mentioned in
the convention Of 1890.
Twenty years ago this month Of May
Thomas A Hendricks, Allen G. Thur
man, Thomas F. Bayard, and other
DemocT It's of Gatio12al rep1ta ion we1e
thought of and talked OF for the Presi-
dental ncmina ion in 1894 The name
of Grover Cleveland as almost IN
known beyoad The City limits Of Buff
falo, which had elected him Mayor in
November, 1881. Before the followir g
autumn, =! oKever, b ; had made q record
as a reform official which rendered him
the mos available candidate for Gov
error that lis party could present. HIS
election BY pheno nenal majority and
his work as rcfcr1a Governor render
ed inevitable tie acce y q zee Of this new
man as the national leader of the De
m ocrats. This he coali ned to be for
eight years running for President three
times and serving two terms.
In May, 1884, Samuel ]. Tidel was
a private citizen of Ne v York, respected
for bis ability as LAWYER and honored
for his services in exposing the Tweed
ring in 1871, but not kno yn throughout
thu country. His record as an oppon, Mt
of Tammany corruption in this city
made him an ideal Democratic candida
te for Governor in a year when reform
was evidently the winning watch ord
for State campaign. The Executive
Office at Albany furnished just the cp-
portunity needed for a Democrat 10
show that he could reform The abuses
Ia the management of the canals which
had thriyen under the Republicans, and
this demonstration of his ability point
ed him out as the fit national leader
his party in 1876, when it carried the
doubtful States of New York, Connect
cit, and Indiana for the first time since
the Republicans came into power in
1861.