New-York tribune., 1906-06-12
THE LOGICAL LEADER.

Eminent Democrats everywhere seem to be
retouchinc their impressions OF Mr.. William j..
Bryan The Hon. William T. Villas. OF Wiscon-
sin is the latest statesman of the ex-safe and
sane school TO be penetrated by the new
thought and TO find. in consequence, reasons
plentiful as blackberries for extolllng as an
arch conservative the party leader whom he
used TO denounce as a furious and dangerous
radical The politicians who broke with Mr.
Bryan in 1895 and for the last ten years have
fought bis programmes and combateG his inf1u-
ence offer picturesque variety Of excuses for
reversing themselves now and accepting his
leadership. Some of them pretend TO think that
Mr.. Bryans views have really sobered Others
declare more justly that while he stands to-day
where he has always stood, public opinion has
become more radical and is now nearly abreast
OF him. All concede that for the Democratic
party he is the ''man of the hour" the only avail
able candidate for the Presidency. Yet few seem
able or willing TO recognize the real cause Of his
availability.
Mr.. Bryan's career so far has been one of
criticism not of construction. He has had little
chance to show his capacity to deal with the
actual problems of government. Yet he has at
tracted general confidence In his integrity and
sincerity as a public man, and he has done the
country at least one service for which he has
never received sufficient credit That service
was the destruction of the old sectional spirit
and influence dominant in the Democratic
party. For years before the Civil War the
Democratic party was used by the slave oil
gnrchy as an instrument 10 protect the insti-
tuition Of slavery. For years after the close of
the war the same party was held in bondage to
the promotion of the South's sectional policies.
The Southern States furnished the bulk of the
Democratic votes cast in the Electoral College,
and the Northern Democracy existed only as Fl
sort of advance guard in the enemy's territory
on which was imposed the task of capturing
enough votes here and there TO carry Congress
or elect President. Northern Democrats were
used TO pull the SOuth's chestnuts out of the
fire-as in the long fight 20 reduce the tariff
and sectional antagonisms were pursued in ma
tional politics to the neglect OF matters of far
greater consequence and Importance. 1t Is no
exaggeration 10 say that so far as genuine demo
cratic development is concerned the country
merely marked time while the sectional conflict
lasted
Mr.. Bryan's 1896 campaign swept away old
party methods and old party alliances. 1t cut
the Democracy of the South loose from the De
mocracy Of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut
and Indiana and brought it into closer relations
with the states of the Far West The sOlidity of
the eX-slave state column was shattered West
Virginia and Delaware were made permanently
Republican, and Maryland, Kentucky and Mis-
souri, became debatable. The South's power In
the Democratic organization was lessened and
Southern statesmen began to follow where they
had formerly led. To-day the sectional issue has
almost disappeared and the country can push
ahead, solving each political problem it arises
on the broad basis of national expediency and
advantage instead of on the narrow one OF sec
tional prejudice or interest. In revOlutiOnizing
the Democracy in 1896 Mr.. Bryan buided better
than he knew. lie showed himself to be the one
Democratic leader courageous enough TO ignore
old sectional divisions, and the leadership thrust
on him now is in great measure vindication of
his judgment in recognizing in 1896 that the |
sectional Issue was dead and that the American
people were eager to bury it.