The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-09-28
FlRSl BATTLE IN VIRGINIA
lest Will be Made of STRENGTH of
BUan's Paramount
ight VIII be Made on Senator Daniel
VINO Opposes Government Oup.-
Hhp0tountry AnxiousIy WAITING In
hear From CIeyeland-Taft's RAND
iN~e In the Public Esteem
tBE Sheldon s. Cline,

p'ioh or d small and inconse-
4uehtlaI minority, the democratic mar
~ LOT nearly a decade. has bee, .
unit III ~execrating Grover Cleveland
Ihc only living ex-presidenr ana he
'"iy democrat who has tho
executive office since James Rucbana,
the reins Of government.
70 Lincoln in 1851 r,.u
9uch circumstances, il would y. ra,-
ural 10 suppose that Mt. Cleveland
would be entirely without ina,erc. ~
MS party and that no democrat would
''ther as 10 what MS opinion MIGHT
20 VI any nan or any measure.
1tt We find prevailing a condition
"'olIy contrary. Within the nasr fevv
H"S7 'HSre mas come from some nm
~" source a mysterious rum0r that
o'e'elahd was bout 10 break his
SiIehct and tell the country wbar he
thought Of William Jennings Pr,an
ana the doctrines which Mr.. BRYAN i
now preaching up ana down the conn
Try. ~ once the country. and especial
- Tie democracy is all All
eyes are turned to Princeton and all
ears 70 catch the first sound of he
princeton Sage's voice. "Hark' HO'
ne oracle is about to speak. let all
The world l~isten,'' has been the ma
tons attitude.
Mr.. Cleveland has lot YET spoken,
out the eagerness with which the
country was prepared to listen is a
9tilhlhg commentary upon changed DO
liticdI conditions and especially condi-
ions within the democratic party. All
ne world u-nn1aral Of
Of sentiment which resulted in Mr.,
Bryan's magnificent reception in the
"enemys country If this revolution
OF the cast has spread to the west and
south and has taken the form of max
ing democrats willing to hear Mr..
cleveland and TO heed him. it is even
more wonderful than the eastern
phase.
Mr.. Bryan himself remains haughtv
ana u~nseeking, so far as concerns his
former democratic foes, but Mr.. Brv-
ans practical friends would very much
like a word of communication from
Mr.. Cleveland. Even the most enthu-
siastic Bryanite does not hope hat
Mr.. Cleveland will endorse openly. or
even passively, the Bryan paramount
Of government ownership: they will
be thankful if he will but express ap-
prevail of Bryan as a man.
It was Mr.. Bryan himself who, in
1896, spoke of the east as the "enemy's
country and of his contemplated visit
as an "~invasiOn.' He does not speak
of his present southern tour as an in
VaSiOn of the enemy'S country but it
amounts to that. The south is not hos
tile TO Mr.. Bryan personally, but it is
utterly hostile to his p~reachment of
onJ-nTn mont nu-narchin op1 II will he,
interesting to watch for any change
of sediment as q result of his speech
making tour.
The enthusiasm Of Mr.. Bryan's
southern receptions have varied &C
cOrding to locality. although every
where he has been received with great
respect n manifestations of affec-
ton. In some sections the OutpOuring
and nanne of greeting have recalled
the Bryan adulation of 1896. while in
other places the demonstrations nave
been only formally enthusiastic.
The contest already on in Virginia
between Bryan enthusiasts and Bryan
conservatives is of vital interest. Sem
atOr Daniel of Virginia was the first
democrat of national prominence to
express dissOpprOval Of Mr.. Bryan's
government ownership doctrine. There
was nothing surprising in this. OppO-
sitiOn to the idea was natural to him.
and it was a matter of curse hat no
fear of personal consequences would
! silence him. Therefore Senator Daniel
spoke. and the opportunity was in
stantly seized by his opponents. state
Senator Thomas. Of L~ynchburg, who
| opposed the reelection Of Major Daniel
to the United States senate, is out with
a declaration for government owner
! ship and has issued a raillying cry to
! all Virginia democrats of a like. way
of thinking.
In the Old Dominion. therefore. is
! to be fought the first battle in which
the Bryan Paramount is the issue
! and Virginia's sister tates will look on
with bated breath. 1t is not at all
| hard to believe that Virginia's verdict
! on government ownership may be
made the verdict of the national dem
ocracy. and that thereby Virginia may
/ again take her place as a leader in
democratic thought. Should Viz
! sinia's voice be for government owner
ship. it is not improbable that other
southern ate would follow her lead,
and with the south committed TO the
doctrine nothing could prevent its be
ing written into the next national dem
ocratic platform.
II is true that the south's men
Of national prominence. so FAR ar
heard from, have been almost unanl-
nous in c~ondemninE Mr.. Bryan's ne"
idea. and the southern press is gen
erallv against il. Hut in the south,
as no where else. does the democratic
-ank and file have The opportunity 10
rake its opinions fo1t. and il is JUST
-oSihle that neither leaders nor press
e,eok auth~oritatively for the people,
- the west. il is reported. sentiment
IS strong for government ownership
ard the results OF the New York pri-
narfes indicate that the Empire state
is ready to accept Bryan's most radi-
ca, views. Conservatives have beer
looking to the south 10 save the dem
~ocratic party from extreme radical1sn
That there is sufficient government
ownership sentiment in Virginia &c
warrant a we'll informed politician
making it an issue in a contest agains'
60 strong q man as Senator DAME
comes as q distinct surprise, and the
opinion is now frequently heard ina
NJ prvarfS task of converting Int