The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-04

/ OLNEN'S HACKERS.
/ Months ago the Boston Herald and
| the Springfield Republican expressed
the opinion that the Democratic party
couldn't do better than to nominate
Mr.. Olney for President. They fav-
| ored him for two reasons, name
ly. his ability. and his availability.
There is no question of his ability and
they thought that of all of the promi-
nent Eastern men mentioned for the
nomination he was the least objec-
tionable to Mr.. Bryan.
1t viii be recalled that MIR. Bryan
was plumply asked in letter ad-
dressed to him whether or not he OBJ
jected to Mr.. Olney. His reply was
that he thought no man who did not
support the Democratic ticket in 1896
and 1900, ought to be nominated, though
he admitted he had never given the
question of the nomination of Mr..
Olney serious consideration.
OF course, the Boston Herald, and
the Springfield Republican would like
to have n Massachusetts man nomi-
mated. but the fact that Mr.. Olney
cannot carry his own state is against
him. 1t will be said that if he can
not carry his state, what reason is
there for thinking he can carry other
Northern states which the Democrats
must have in order to win the cleo
ton. Would he stand as good a chance
of carrying New York, for instance,
as a New York man would? Would
his chance for carrying New York be
better than Senator Germans? 1t is
doubtful if it would. Senator Cor
mans advantage, therefore, is that he
could, in all probability, carry his own
state, and the Democrats must have
Maryland. AS far as we can see the
only argument the two Massachusetts
papers put forth in support of Mr..
Oney, that is worth much attention,
is that Mr.. Bryan wouldn't antago-
nize him.
And why wouldn't he antagonize
him, If it is his purpose to object to
the nomination of any one who did not
give a hearty support to the partys
ticket in 1896 and 1900? Mr.. Olney
wasn't in sympathy with Mr.. Bryans
views, and it is a question whether he
voted for him at either election. 1t
is true he wasn't active in his OPP
position, but it is a safe statement
that he was in harmony with the polit-
ical views held by Mr.. Cleveland. and
there is no man for whom, Mr.. Bryan
has a greater feeling of bitterness than
Mr.. Cleveland.
OF course Mr.. Olney Is a very able
man. He showed that when he was
a member of Mr.. Cleveland's cabinet.
And there is no doubt that if nomi-
mated he would be acceptable to a
very large part of the Democratic
party. 1t seems that he has indicat-
ed his willingness to accept the nomi-
nation, but he will not make an eff
fort to get it. 1t is probable there
fore that he will go to the nominating
convention with the solid, or nearly
solid, New England delegation. His
friends will not be able to nominate
him. but they may have a great deal
of influence in making the ticket.
In connection with it's advocacy of
the nomination of MIR. Olney. the
Springfield Republican throws out the
suggestion that perhaps Mr.. Bryan
favors the nomination of Mr.. Hearst,
the owner of the New York American.
He and Mr.. Hearst seem to be very
good friends. He is now writing let
tiers from Europe to Mr.. Hearst's paper,
and rather interesting letters they are.
From the way the situation in the
Democratic party is shaping itself, how
would dominate the nominating con-
vention. The party seems to be drift
ing away from him.