New-York tribune., 1906-06-09
COLONEL wArrERsoN FoRGIVES.

If any nroof was lacking OF the sincerity and
volume of the Macedonian cry now waited across
the Atlantic to a certain Democratic statesman
travelling on furlough that evidence is sup
nlied by Colonel Henry WattersOns soul stlrrlng
/ appea to the wanderer aforesaid to come nome
and be forgiven Democratic conventions IN
Indiana Missouri and South Dakota have sent
a hurry call to the distinguished absentee I'M
plorng him 10 return post haste ana save the
party and the country. A monster committee Is
being formed in this city TO celebrate his arrival
Tho siytv-seven varieties of Jeffersonians here
ahouts are preparing to welcome him as the
only true and apostolic successor of Jefferson
Rut till Colonel WatterSon spoke the projected
apotheosis lacked absolute completeness ana
finality No one can doubt after the colOnels S
outgiving that in Democratic hearts and hopes
William ]. Bryan is really "the man or the
hour" To the conservatives he has become
reconstructed pillar of safety and sanity" To
the radicals he is still the peerless leader or
1896 twice the Presidential nominee Of the Pop
Mist party and the stalwart advocate of Pop
ulistic "isms' which he has never recanted or
apologized for. To the hungry office hunters
he figures as the prospective Moses-Joshua who
will turn the rascals out" and distribute the
spoil among the faithful.
Colonel Watterson can read the stars when
there are any stars to read; and his agility in
getting into the Bryan band wagon does credlt
10 his candor and sang froid as politician a
politician must be ready 10 forget and forgive,
TO strike a truce with the past and dismiss by
cones as bygones Colonel Bryan was not al
ways a Henry Clay and Thomas Jefferson rolled
in one in the office of THE Courier Journal
AS late as 1904 Colonel Watterson was hard put
TO ii to decide which exercised the more sinister
influence in Democratic cOuncils-Grover Cleve-
In olxrSiS m
Democratic situation Just two years ago he
wrote:
Two dangers menace the Democratic party.
one of these is the Cleveland influence and the
ether is the Bryan influence Eliminate these
aggressive and greedy politicians ana there
the party to get together to adopt PLATFORM
and agree on a ticket. AS grasplng, aS
heartless though not so crafty as Mr.. CieVes
land. Mr.. Bryan preferred TO play the role OF
Neither Milestone TO Mr.. Clevelands Upper. NOW
as ever they are between them grinding the
grist out of the webeing Of the party. They
are simply a pair of self-seeking politicians
having axes TO grind and whetting them upon
the hand and head of the party that has so
greatly honored them. Mr.. Cleveland
works behind the screen Of self-glorifying
civic virtue which the image worshippers carry
around to conceal the SNUG features and oleag-
inous cOmplacency of their rather too portly
idol Mr.. Bryan goes about with a knife and
a club Draining every one who ventures to cross
his path.
This gloomy and pessimistic picture was
drawn in 1904. Since then Mr.. Bryan has in
duged in two years of study and travel, and
is to return in August with increasing wisdom"
He has served his probation and earned his
reward" and can now be trusted Colonel Wat
terson thinks, to lay aside 1.-The knife and the
club and to take the helm and steer us away
| from the breakers of gang and graft politics.
Great is the virtue of judicous foreign travel
Let us hope that it will bring the new Demo
cratic Man Of Destiny home in a mood to for
give as handsomely he is being forgiven