New-York tribune., 1904-09-06
G4MALIEUS SUCCEssOR.

The prophetic mantle of the Hon. GamaheI
Bradford, OF Boston, has fallen upon PROFESSOR
Henry Loomis Nelson, of Willamstown, though
it is possible that Mr.. Bradford is not aware
Of the fact. He may suppose that his mantle
is still in the storage vault where he Is un-
derstood to have deposited it for the sake OF
keeping the moths out but if so. he IS mis-
taken. The inspired and inspiring garment can
readily be identified on the shoulders of not
altogether unworthy successor, who Is now
actively employed in contributing divinatons
to the columns of 1.-THE New York World" The
prophetic style Of Mr.. Bradford, however, diff
fered somewhat from that which Professor
Nelson has adopted The former was fervent
and impassioned, and even when he had banked
his fires you could them glowing beneath
the surface. The latter, on the contrary, is
cold. Indeed, it is to their deadly quietude that
his ora aclar utterances owe their fearful signih-
canoe.
One or two examples will suffice to make this
distinction clear When. few years ago, Mr..
Bradford had ascertained that "the real object
"of the war was not the defeat Of Spain, nor
''the independence of Cuba, nor even the con-
quest of territory, but 10 keep the Republican
party in power" he accompanied the an
nouncement of his discovery with the asser
ton that the party was going about its work
of ravage and of usurpaton with lightning
rods thrust out into the Pacific" AS we re-
marked at the time. that proclamation at first
afforded great encouragement to lightning rod
agents, whose business had fallen into state
of depression; but the country quickly perceived
that it would not bear literal Interpretation,
and FASTENED 10 assign a portentous meaning
to the verbal obscurity with which it had been
invested. The dim magnifcence Of the image
was generally felt to be a most tmpressi in
troduction TO the explicit warning whi~h fol-
lowed, that "New-York or Boston may be over
'awed with battleships; Chicago or St Louis
may be placed under military rule" Again,
only little more than year later, Mr.. Brad
fords historic ina agination having in the mean
time verified his calculations, he made this ca
pacious and resonant prediction: 'If Mr.. Nc
"Kinley is reelected, it will mean that within
lone or. at the furthest, two generations Con
'gress and the Supreme Court will be turned
"adrift by military dictator
1t will be seen at glance that Nj. Bradford
was in the habit of employing rhetorical de-
vices when engaged in the act Of prophesying.
Observe the contrast which Professor Nelson's
method exhibits:
Mr.. Roosevelt's own tendency to autocracy.
and the support which his own party has given
70 it in Congress is shown by the expenditures
which are being made In preparation for fan
cied war, for the first object OF an autocrat IS
TO increase the armed force Of the nation, and
then to make it his personal force The party
in Congress has consented to the increase Mr..
Roosevelt has made the military force, espe-
cialIy the army. his own by favoritism.
Here is no headlong tide of feeling. All is
cool calm and relentless. To reverse Burke's
celebrated saying. in allusion TO Dr. Johnson
Professor Nelson has the inspiration OF the
sibyl without the contortions. He is TO be sure
a little careless of his grammar, but that docs
not make him less fateful He surmises that
in the end Mr.. Roosevelt's Tartar conception
''of government will not prevail" but he seems
TO foresee as clearly as Mr.. Bradford that an
other Republican victory will mean the turning
adrift of Congress and the Supreme Court by
military dictator. However, he cherishes an
expectation that the catastrophe will be tenn
porary instead of permanent, and so, on the
whole, we are glad that he has displaced Mr.
Bradford as official soothsayer to the Demo
cratic party