The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-27

A year-long debate on many matters
affecting political issues. not only Of the
present, but those which will be promi-
nent in the Presidential campaign Of 1865.
is TO take place between ". J. Bryan,
twice Democratic candidate for the Presl-
dency. and the Hon Albert J. Beveridge,
senior Senator from Indiana
Both Of these statesmen. who are noted
for oratory, and whose public writings.
as well as utterances. have attracted 50
much attention. have signed contracts 10
fight out the issues in "a prominent maga-
zine ON some one political phase they
Will agree 10 disagree and their articles
on the subject, one written from the
Democratic and one from the Republican
standpoint, viii be published side by side.
Then. next month. each viii answer the
other as best he may
ID 10 the present time M. 8syan has
placed no restrictions upon his written Or
spoken word: when he has had anything
20 say he has said il. but now. it seems.
be has decided To concentrate his fire.
and instead of replying 20 any and every
publication that manifests Il desire for an
Utterance from him on any an all sub
jects, be Is 10 C0nfne himself solely to
the magazine in which he has agreed 10
meet as in the lists. his political oppo-
site, Senator Beyeridge
Mistake, Say some Democrats.
Some OF the Democratic leaders believe
il is mistake for the man VINO has been
the leader of his party in two strenuous
campaigns thus early to outline hts views
on the issues for the next campaign.
They argue that not only may he weaken
his paTty's cause. but that he may find
himself at variance with great wing Of
bis own party-as great d variance as
that when he promulgated his doctrine of
Is To 1. which split the Democratic party
in twain, or when De made his famous
/ speech in Madison Square Garden advo-
eating the government ownership of rail-
roads. Il is Thought by some Bryan ad-
mirers that in such a debate as hs has
contracted toL-ne may easily, by some
/ ungulrded statement cllmi iate himself
/ entirely as a factor in TIC next Democratic
I rational convention Others fear that In
such "a debate be Wiil be forced 10 show
/ his hand. 90 disclose his party's plans.
I and thus give 70 the Republicans full op-
/ portunlty to take 10 themselves the best
I features of his platform. as he claims
/ they did in past campaigns.
/ Il is believed that Mr.. Bryan has some
new plans. some novel theories to ad-
vance. and the Bryan wing OF the party.
/ which is more or less In his confidence.
doubts his widom in showing his hand 50
( far in advance.
/ 1t can be stated upon high authority
/ that the Republican leaders are not AZ all
averse 10 having the man who is reckoned
/ as a Democratic leader talk all ne wants
/ 10 on the issues they viii have 10 face
and II is limited that when the project
/ first came up Senator Beveridge was
/ urged 10 go into il by his political
/ friends who pointed out that in this way
/ he cosld render an inestimabIe service to
/ his party.
Beveridge Most Available.
/ Senator Beveridge was selected as the
most available man in many respects 10
/ take the other side Of what is likely to
| develop into a valuable and interesting
public debate. II is thought that the dis
| cussion between these two men. both
/ holding high rank in their party councils.
will have an important bearing in shap-
/ ing the party platforms of 1905.
/ In the last campaign Mr. Bryan and
/ Senator Beveridge stumped the same sec
tion of the country for their respective
/ parties, and. although they have never
yet met on the same platform. they have
| answered. in public speech, each others
| arguments. so that their stump-speakiug
partOOk. almost Of the character of a
debate. Both men have large. ready
made audiences to which they can appeal.
When il was announced 10 the leaders
of the Republican party that Mr.. Bryan
was willing TO enter into such a debating
icontract with any opponent worthy OF his
steel, they began to look about for an
available man to reply 10 him. They knew
il would be best TO find some statesman
close TO the present administration. and
vet enc who was independent of the ad-
lminiStratiOn man who held 50 independ--
ent position that he would not be looked
upon as a spokesman for any element OF
particular faction.
Secretaries Taft. Root. and Shaw were
regarded as too essentially of the admin
istration's household. Speaker Cannon.
they realized. had toe many calls upon
his time to permit his taking part in such
a prolonged and, what viii probably he.
heated debate.
/ otherS Were Suggested.
Senator Lodge was regarded as too
strictly a New England representative 70
make his appeal cogent TO the South or
TO the West. The name of Vice President
! Fairbanks was suggested but with tho
wide mention of him as a Presidential
candidate. it was felt he might be re-
garded as an advocate for himself rather
than for his party
! All things considered Senator Albert J.
/ Beveridge was regarded as the best. all
round available man. and after some con
sideration ne has consented 10 debate
| Bryan To "a Stand-still
Asked about the proposed debate at the
/ Willard last evening where he was a
guest at the Gridiron dinner. Senator
! Beveridge said: Yes I have arranged
for such debate with Mr. Bryan. and
the topics have been decided on, among
them will be the Tariff, the Trusts. Swol-
! len Fortunes. Capitalization Us. state
/ Rights. Finance, Corporations, the Income
Tax. and perhaps some others.
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