The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-10-02
Exigencies of Practical Politics
Decided the Result.
Hearstism and Democracy are Not
ent Attitude on Government Owner
ship Pleasing to Democrat-De-
yelopments in Cuba Watched With
Interest.
(By Sheldon S. line
Washington, September

SNAN '0ohAa6IoA IAAS "CSA h0FC
been almost unanimous in expressing
satisfaction that Mr.. Bryan is dispos-
ed to respect opposing opinion
within his party and o press the
matter of federal and state ownership
of railroads. The democratic atmos-
phere has been clarified, they declare
and there is now no reason why all
democrats should not be able to get to-
gether and present a united front in
1900.
AS was to be expected, Mr.. Bryan
has been subjected to d great deal Of
criticism, largely from republican
sources, for what is termed his re-
c~dntatiOn of the government owner
ship preachment. This criticism is
m~anifestly unfair in view of the fact
that from the anne ource came
praise for President Roosevelt when
he needed the opinion of republican
leaders and decided not to press upon
congress consideration of tariff re-
vision.
Mr.. Roosevelt was and is convinced
that the tariff should be revised; he
found he could not press the matter
without causing serious discord with
in his party, SO yielded to expediency
and agreed to let the matter rest for
the present. Mr.. Roosevelt vas hail
ed as a wise and patriotic statesman.
Mr.. Bryan is convinced that the fed
eral and state governments should
own the railroads.; he finds within
the democracy absolute and unyield-
ing opposition to such a policy and
| realizes that to press It now would
disrupt the party. He yields to ex-
pediency and agrees to let the matter
rest until the much-vaunted rate
| legislation has been tried. Mr.. Bryan
is denounced as a self-seeking dema-
gogue, whose ambition to be presi-
dent on this sort of politics. 1t be-
longs to the political dark ages of a
| past generation.
Nor can it be forgotten that in a
public address asst winter Mr.. O
| welt expressed conviction that there
should be a tax on fortunes as a
means of preventing menacing &C
cumulations of wealth. That was
| just as radical as Mr.. Bryan's gov
| eminent ownership doctrines. Re-
! publicans opposed and even ridiculed
| the idea. Mr.. Roosevelt saw that he
| had not made a hit" n had sense
enough to let the matter drop. The
situation was almost Identical with
| the one in which Mr.. Bryan now
| finds himself, yet Roosevelt was prai-
| sed for his moderation and Bryan is
| played as a hypccrite. 1t must be ad-
mitted that democrats treated MI.
Roosevelt with a great deal more
fairness and consideration than Mr..
| Bryan is now receiving at the hands
Of the republicans.
1t is probable, however, that repub-
Iican denunciation does not seriously
worry Mr.. Bryan and his friends.
Had he insisted upon government
ownership as a cardinal democratic
| doctrine, he would have been de-
nounced as a boss, who was bound to
rule or ruin. Even had Mr.. Bryan
| been willing to sacrifice himself upon
the altar of government ownership,
he could not have done so without
at the same time sacrificing his party.
It would not have helped the situa-
ton a bit for Mr.. Bryan to have said:
Il am unalterably committed to gov
eminent ownership, but | find demo-
cratic sentiment opposed to it; there
fore, 1 shall retire as a presidential
possibility" The result would have
been that in every state of the Union
Mr.. Brayn's friends would have set
to work to force government owner
snip upon the party, and the conflict
would have been just as hurtful as If
Mr.. Bryan had held to his original
proposition. Having done the only
! -1~rsh1a o.I 1orioaI fhfnr fhorn yraC
for him to do by recognizing that his
own opinion is outweighed by the ma
jority opinion of his party, Mr.. Bryan
certainly is entitled to democratic
gratiture.
The possibility of a Hearst victory
in New York state has been a thing OF
dread to old-line democrats, but now
that it is all over the situation is not
nearly so bad as had been anticipated.
It was not Mr.. Hearsts radicalism,
but the exigencies of practical" poll
les, that finally decided the contest.
No man is for a moment silly enough
to believe that Boss Murphy has any
sympathy with the things for which
Mr.. Hearst stands, and the very live
Hest doubt is entertained whether
| Tammany will give him anything even
approaching loyal support at the polls.
While the New York democracy,
through a bargain with a political cor
ruptionist pure andsimple, has a
Hearst forced upon it, it will hardly
be contended that Hearstism and de-
mocracy are synonymous terms in he
empire state, and there will be no such
effect upon the national democracy as
there would have been had Mr..
Hearst's victory been a clear-cut and
Straightforward one.
Ten days ago there was hardly dis
sent from the opinion that a Hearst
victory in New York would be bound
to color the next NATIONAL democratic
platform. That possibility is now re-
garded as a thing of the past, Mr..
| Hearst's deal with Tammany and Mr..
Bryan's revised attitude on govern
A.