The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-08-06
THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE.

tllllS III tllb Gull DS lllul ln6O-
dore Roosevelt will be the candidate
of the Republican party for the presi-
dency in the canvass of 1904. The
livelier pre-convention interest will,
therefore, gather around the councils
of the Democracy.
Current comment has somewhat to
do with the names of three Democrats,
two OF them of national distinction
and one an aspirant for political fame
and place. OF Mr.. Cleveland and Mr..
Bryan Democratic newspaper recent
ly observed, in effect, that it was almost
beyond comment in parliamentary lam
guage that, while the only man who has
led the Democracy to victory-and that
twice, in nearly fifty years-is being
seriously considered as the best candi-
date available now by many of the
most experienced leaders in its coun-
oils, the man who has twice brought
defeat upon it would read him out of
the party; and the Bryan partisan
might retort that the victorious
Cleveland, through the widespread
calamities his economic policy brought
upon the country, had made it polit-
ical impossbility for Mr.. Bryan, or
any other Democrat, again to lead the
party to any other issue than defeat
so long as men are living who recall
the disastrous events that began their
dismal march at sunset of election
day in 1892, nor halted till sunrise
of Nov. 3, 1896, when the returns
proclaimed the election of Mckinley,
the prophet of restored national
prosperity.
But the signs of the times seem to
indicate thar not Mr. Cleveland, the
man who led his party to two disas.
trous victories, and not Mr.. Bryan
who twice signally failed to revive
national confidence in the Democratic
party, will again be made the stand
ard bearer OF "a riyen and distracted
Democracy.
Nor does the man yet appear of
whom it can be said, with any show
of reason or certainty, that he can
reunite the broken forces of Democ-
racy and patch up political organ
ization of which the prophecy of
victory can be made, if the prophet
has any regard at all for his reputa-
ton as a seer. IA ,- -..:., 49,.
Mr.. Hearst of New York appears to
have multitude of believers in his
availability, and in possibility
amounting to certainty that he can
be elected President. Great strength
is claimed for him in New York, and
in the Middle West, and in the States
of New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois
and California, whose vote, with that
of the solid south, might be decisive.
The names of many organizations are
cited which, with some three hundred
newspapers, large and small, have de-
clared for Mr.. Hearst; and these ARE
exploiters of his candidacy are express.
ing that he can be nominated by the
Democracy and elected.
Popularity with the young men of
his party, alleged services to the De-
mocracy in past campaigns. long years
of devotion to Jeffersonian and Jack
sonian principles, his successful bust
ness career, his phianthrophy, alb
sence of political autagonisms, are
counts in the bill of particulars max
ing for Mr.. Hearst's nomination.
The trust issue is the main plank
in the platfocm proposed for the
Democracy and Mr.. Hearst, plank
that is not, for an available candi-
date, " altogether trustworthy piece
of timber. The elephant, with the
instinct of his species, undertakes to
assure himself Of the strength of
bridge before he begins TO cross. If
Mr.. Hearst steps upon the trust plank
with an unfaltering confidence in it's
impregnable strength, and belief that
upon it he may pass over to victory,
after the convention-or the election,
it it bears him up so far in the canvass
-unquestionably he will be gather
ing himself together from wreck the
result of the lack of caution dumb
beasts example might have COM
mended to his observance. Very like
ly this would be the result of his can
didacy in any event, and quite prob
ably the issue of the candidacy of the
best Democrat who has the hardihood
to intrust himself to any fabric the
engineers of Democracy can devise.
In this connection it is interesting
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