Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1906-04-15
BRYAN MAY Be
FIRST CANDIDATE
HEARST AND BRYAN ARE NOW
TWO PROMINENT FIGURES.

William Jennings Bryan. the lead
er of the conservative Democracy!
Ten years ago the prophecy would
have seemed utterly foolish. but now
II appears hat the fulhllment is nigh
at hand. The plans for rationale
ing the organization of the Democrat
ic club of New York city include
the agitation for unihcation OF all
conservatives i'm the Democrats par
~ upon Mr.. Bryan rs titular leader
and nominee for president i'm 1908.
Mr.. Bryan's article in the April
Century on "Individualism and So
cialism' worked a mighty c~rystaliza-
ton of sentiment. Democratic lead
ers fear Hearst. They believe there
is but n man who can prevent
Hearst from obtaining control of the
machinery of the party. and he is
Bryan With a positive anti Social
istic pronouncement from Bryan, the
last obstacle was removed.
At the Jefferson dinner TO be Civ
en- y Monday night at the Wal
dorf-Astoria conservatives like Wood
Bourks Cochran and DIR. w. l.. Rob
bins are billed to speak, and at that
time and under such auspices the
Bryan boom OF 1908 will be formally
launched.
The Democratic club. with it's new
prefix OF "National"-the club which
did not actively support Mr.. Bryan
in 1896 and 19OO-will soon get TO
work on plans for a great reception
to be given to Mr.. Bryan when he re-
turns from the orient.
This New York Bryan movement
is exactly i'm accord with the opin-
len OF nine-tenths of the Democratic
members OF the house and of two
thirds OF the Democratic senator's.
Mr.. Hearst is tr.ing to get the
nomination for governor OF New
FO.r. He may succeed. Whether he
is elected or not. he will at once be-
gin his campaign for the presidential
nomination.
North and south, conservative
Democrats agree hat the Hearst
propaganda is dangerous. but they
also recognize that he is plausible.
=, he har the money ana the news
papers TO spread his ideas and they
know he Is a demogogue.
Against the Hearst demagogy II is
necessary TO oppose something more
tangible than the mere spirit OF con-
serVatism. This tangible opposition
must have a leader who represents
something positive in himself and
who is able to command the trust
of the people. Whenever the cues
ton is asked Who is this man? the
reply is almost invariably Bryant"
A representative from Massachu-
sets said today in a cloakroom con
versation: Mr.. Bryan has stood
still. He has not changed except
IS conditions have made it necessary.
Ten years ago his general thought
was too far in advance or the times.
and he was called a radical. Today
he is not as radical as Roosevelt.
he is the antithesis of the reyolu-
tionary Hearst. The times have come
up 90 Bryan. And believe that New
England Will join with other eastern
states and aid the solid Democratic
south to elect him president in 1908.
Men i'm the house who have been
set down as close friends OF Hearst
declare that MIR. Hearst will surely
win the nomination If Bryan stays
out. With Bryan in the race he will
not get as many votes I'm convention
as he did in 1904, they assert. This
shows how things look to the con-
gTessmen.
Just how many Democrats I'm the
house are for Hearst It is hard 20
say. Probably there are not mo
than ten who are for him through
thick and thin, but as many as forty
probably would rally TO his support
In the issue came down between
Hearst and a nan of the Parker or
der.
Verify, the radical OF today is the
conservative OF tomorrow. And some
times the conservative of today does
not wake on the morrow.-Louis
Browniow, in Nashville Banner.