New-York tribune., 1906-06-07
W. ). BRYAN. CONSERVATIVE.

Certainly the whirligig of time has brought
| in its revenges when Colonel William j. Bryan
after discreet sojourn in far countries, re-
turns TO New York TO be welcomed by all
classes of Democrats with more effusion than
was ever lavished on a Prodigal Son. The
Democratic Club has had itself "natlonallZed
to impart a special and fitting dignity to the
role it will play in this homecoming function.
Hundreds of representatives Of the once saIe
and sane element in the Democracy have vol
unteered to serve on Bryan reception commit
tee and Mr. August Belmont and Mr.. Delaney
NicOll have united in certifying that Mr.. Bryan,
having taken first cure in conservatism under
their supervision two years ago, is already con-
structively "safe and sane" The Nebraska
statesman returns indeed, not so much like the
prodigal forgiven for having scandalized and
wrecked the party in 1896, as like misunder-
stood and illappreciated Cincinnatus, summoned
from retirement TO give to moribund pOnCcal
organization a new lease of life he Is the
invigorator and savior to whom his former
detractors now turn with a humble petition TO
let bygones be bygoneS. Just for the trlte or
silver they left him. Now they are tumbling
over themselves to pin the blue ribbon OF ortno-
doxy and regularity on his coat
Certainly times change and politicians learn
to come indoors when it rains. When Mr.. Bryan
no delegation of leading lights from the Demo
cratic Club to meet him at the pier. His coun-
sci on things political was not solicited When
he hired a hall at his personal expense and
analyzed the influences and motives which lay
behind Judge Parkers canvass for the Presl-
dental nomination. his activity was denounced
as an impertinent interference-as the protest
of an unhorsed and disgruntled party Warwick.
At the st. Louis convention his views were over
ridden at every turn and the reclamation OF the
Democracy from his blighting influence was
celebrated as a triumph of reason, order ana
common sense. "A Man at LastI' exclaimed the
exultant Democratic conservatives when they
brought Alton B. Parker to the foreground and
sent William J. Bryan to the rear. The Man
at Last" lasted until about the middle Of August.
Then the party managers who had undertaken
TO carry the burdens Of the Presidential canvass
turned in desperation TO Colonel Bryan and
pleaded for his assistance. The Nebraska states
man complied and made some speeches, under
the auspices of the Safe and Saners in control
of the national committee. Something In TINS
healing contact with the conservatism" which
ruled at Democratic headquarters in 1904 must
have removed the faint of Colonel Bryan's
strenuous radicalism. Observation-Disclosures
icaly. perhaps-he purged himself of heresy and
qualified for enrolment under the Belmont
Nicoll standard of political sanity.
This may be the secret of the rapprochement
soon to be duly celebrated. But there is another
theory. Governor Folk told the Democratic
| State Convention in Missouri on Tuesday that
| Mr.. Bryan had not been converted by the con-
servatives but that the conservatives had been
converted by him. The Bryan doctrines con-
demned as "anarchistic" in 1896, were now he
added 1.-THE acme of patriotism" And ex-Sen-
ator Dave Bale. of Pike County. old fashioned
''shOw me" Missouri Democrat, suggested that
the logic of the situation clearly demanded the
appearance of Grover Cleveland in Missouri
talking for Bryan from the end of a train"
Some such feature might not be out of place in
the approaching local jubilation. If Mr.. Cleve-
land is unavoidably detained in Princeton, the
talking can be done by almost any other eX-anti-
f1at-money and -anarchlsm Eastern Democrat