Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-07
BRYAN LOSING FRIENDS
HIS ATTITUDE CONTRASTEI
WITH THAT OF CLEVELAND.
The Latter Apparently Endeavoring to
Restore Harmony to Democratic
Ranks-Southern Feeling.

The rise of the star of Grover C1eve-
land not necessarily to immense illuminat-
Ing power, witnesses, in the opinion or
democratic politicians from all parts of the
country, the waning Of the star of William
j. Bryan. Repeated mistakes and the con-
slant spectacle Mr.. Bryan is making of
himself in his nagging policy are likely, his
warm personal friends declare, to lessen his
influence steadily and put it at a minimum
by the time the next national convention
Of the democratic party assemblies. a close
friend of Mr.. Bryan, a man from a neigh
boring state that gave its electoral vote
to Bryan in 1885, says that Mr.. Bryan Is
wholly unaware of the prejudice forming
against him in many sections Of the coun-
try.
Democrats everywhere" he said, want
to make a supreme effort next year to
win. and they arc concentrating their minds
in that direction. Curiously enough, they
regard Mr.. Bryan as q chronic kicker and
lacking in sticking qualities to his party.
That is the part that is irritating so many
of them against him. They may not yet
have re-established their love for Mr.
Cleveland, but the attitude of the two men
is so different as to cause regard for Mr.
Cleveland and loss of esteem for the Ne
braska leader. Mr.. Cleveland is heartily
advocating harmony in the. democratic
ranks and Is saying no word of criticism or
reproach of those who held views con-
trary to his own in the last seven years
Mr.. Bryan Is doing nothing to get the
elements of his party together, and is
every day saying something uncompl-
mentary of this or that man. The con-
trast between the positions of the two
men naturally makes fair democrat turn
10 Mr.. Cleveland, and If matters continue
Tor some time as at present Mr.. Cleveland
VIII WELD an enormous influence next year.
In the south are thousands of strong
friends OF Bryan, men who are disposed to
STICK to him under all circumstances and
conditions. But these men are rapidly leav-
Ing him. The feeling among southern demo-
crats is that the party ought to get to-
gether and win, and while there has been
intense opposition In the minds of south
ern men. to Mr.. Cleveland, and all those
connected with him in the past believe
opinion Is 80 shaping itself In the south
that the old battle shout Of four years
more OF Grover would be taken up with
one accord should Mr.. Cleveland be nornt-
mated again. My candid opinion Is that
Mr. Bryan will not be able to command a
single southern vote in the next convention
and that II he pursues his present tactics
they will result in the bitterest opposition to
him. The only thing that can again make
Mr. Bryan as popular as he was is to stop
his nagg1ng and abuse and take a dgnified
position of party support for whoever is the
nominee. 1t is noticeable that Mr. BRYAN
has nowhere said that he would support the
nominee of the convention, and that he has
intimated frequently that he would not sup
port certain men. Party loyalty is going
to be the watchword among democrats
from now on