Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-07-28
Roosevelt And Bryan May Both
Take The Field. Democrats
Feel Hopeful Make Tariff
And Trusts Chief Issue.

Activity and hopefulness characterize
the headquarters of the Democratic Ma
tional Congressional Committee. Chair
man James NJ. Griggs, Vice Chairman
+. j. Bowers, and Secretary Charles
A. Edwards are energetically working
on the preliminaries of canvass which
in point of thoroughness and determina-
tion promises to be the most vigorous
campaign for control of the House of
Representatives that has been waged
by the Democrats for several years.
Under Judge Griggs' management in
1902 the Democrats came within about
fifteen votes of getting control of the
House of the Fifty-ninth Congress. lie
has entered upon this fight with practi-
cally the same assistants as he then
had and with the additional advantage
of an intimate knowledge of every
close district in the country.
The Republican majority in the pres
ent House is ia. elected on the tre-
mendous Roosevelt tidal wave of 1904
To carry the House of the Sixtieth Con-
gress. the Democrats will have to re-
claim fifty-eight districts. The task
would seem Hercuean were il not for
the fact that, apparently, the country
has been made extremely suspicious Of
the policy of continuing any party in
power for too long a period, and. further
more, that on all the vital issues Of the
day. save only that of protection, there
is virtually no difference between the
two old parties, as evidenced by the
unanimity with which the Democrats
voted for every important measure of
economic. financial and industrial re-
form proposed by President Roosevelt
at the recent session of Congress. In
point of fact, the Democrats can claim,
with good warrant, that their party had
contended for these various measures
before President Roosevelt adopted
them as policies of his administration
and forced them upon his party in Con-
gress.
An interesting promise of the i'm
pending struggle for control Of the
next House is that both President
Roosevelt and William Jennings Bryan
may be drafted for active service on
the stump by their respective parties.
The fact that the President has sum
moned the Republican campaign mana
gers to his summer residence for con-
sultation with regard to the conduct of
the campaign indicates not only the i'm
portance he attaches to the fight but
also the likelihood of his willingness TO
give practical support to his party in
any manner the developments may
show to be advisable. The President,
as is well known, has no illusions or
false notions as to the dignity of his
official position, and as the outcome of
the contest for the next House will in
greater or less degree show the popular
strength Of his administration, it is be-
Iieved that he would not hesitate a
moment 10 plunge into the thick of the
fight in order to save the day for the
Republicans. II has been understood
in a general way that Speaker Cannon
was to be made the star Of the Repub-
lican campaign, but, of course, if
President Roosevelt should take the
stump, "Uncle Joe" would be consider
ably eclipsed.
Mr.. Bryan is so fond of campaigning
that not much urging would be required
to get him on the stump from the day
of his return from his globe-enc ircling
trip to the close of the campaign. There
is thus afforded the novel prospect of
what practically would be a joint debate
between Messrs. Roosevelt and Bryan,
for undoubtedly each would be govern
ed largely in his utterances by what the
other might say to the people. The
occasion also would afford Means for
q test of the strength OF each with the
electorate, and by this method the re-
suit Of the Presidential campaign Of
1908 would be pretty accurately fore
east.
That the Republicans will wage an ag-
gressive and in some respects an auda-
cious campaign is foreshadowed by the
announcement of their purpose TO have
numerous of their big guns, including
Vice President Fairbanks and Speaker
Cannon. participate in the opening Of
the campaign in Missouri. The Repub-
lican managers realize that Missouri is
still safely Democratic, and that its go-
ing for Roosevelt two years ago was
the direct result of Democratic dissat-
isfaction there with the work of the st.
Louis convention. But in spite of this,
they intend to put up brave front in
Missouri this year. just as though they
confidently expected to place that State