The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-12
MORE THAN ONE DEMOCRAT WHO
 IS QUALIFIED TO LEAD HIS PARTY.

l to the South for It's nominee in 1908. Measured by either Democratic or Re- publican standards since 1870, the
 South eould claim respectful consider, above. If the tnexpected should hap pen, and a virginief, Texan. a Geor- gian or MissouriaI be chosen to lead | the Presidential fight TOT the DemocA racy two years from now, the Demo- cratic party need not be arrafd of any comparison of the ability and charac- ter of Its nominee with inequalities of
 lns opponent. It may be that the South will be content to submit to further sacrifies, giving fts abIest pub- lie men no opportunity to compete in the national convention with tho can- didates and delegates from States which usually vote on election day for the opposition ticket It may. be willing to be regarded as the most important as- se' of the national Democratic party on the condition that it accept policies and support candidates dictated by States which rarely give an electoral vote to the .party's nominee for Presi. dent. But if the unexpected should happen and the South--tne most Amer lean part of the United States-should be invited to present q candidate for the Presidency, or should demand the right to nominate one Of Its sons for Chief Magistrate, what may not oc- dountedly receive the full Southern electoral vote. and no other Democrat has received much more of late years except Mir. Cleveland. Leaving out the which any candidate from the East or West could carry would be very few, judging by the elect. tns of 1896, 1900 and 1904. Since the South has nearly Democracy can count, it's wishes In re- spect to the choice of T candidate in 1908 would probably be respected by the Democrats of the East and West if A \. ~fA phasis and persistency. Who knows but that the unexpected will happen, and the South will change It's attitude any demand recognitionr
 And why should not the South put forward candidate and rally around didate as any other section Of the country. Tn 1908 1t will be forty three years since the close Of the civil war. If the South is ever to be considered s homogeneous part of the nation. with all the rights and privileges enjoyed by every other part, 1t has certainly reached that con&tiop now. No one ism or its intellieence. Many of it's citizens hold the highest rank in the North in the fields of finance and bus mess. and fill with great ability and trust and responsibility. They are not barred in business: why should they be in national politics? Why should nor a Southern man be a candidate for President of the United States? Why should no. Virginia have as much right to put forward a Montague or a Daniel as a Western or an Eastern State to claim the nomination? Is it not time that the South was freed from political ostracism? Would not the candidacy of a SoNtnern man like Montague or Bailey have an excellent effect In effacing sectional lines in politics and bringing the people of the whole country closer together2 If the Southern States were to get together on a program of this sort, they could dominate the situation.
 At all events, there is food for thought to the Suggestion. There is a certain measure of consolation in it, too, for the Democratic party. for this review of the situation shows that the Democratic party Is not so poor in Presidential timbef as mas been said that there are other pebbles on the po- iitical beach besides MT. Bryan. and that the party is not yet reduced to Hobson's choice. Is 1t not possible that a Southern candidate of uniin- peachable Democracy, tr commanding ability and Of acknowledged character, might command more votes Tn the East and perhaps in parts of the West than MT. Bryan himselfI These are ques- tions which Democratic leaders and the Democratic rank and Ale might do well to consider.