New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-28
DEnocRATIO FAToRITB SONS.

When a statesman begins TO talk like party
platform il is safe TO conclude that he Is favor
tie SON." Senator John w Daniel, of Virginia, IS
the first of the Democratic favorte sons TO
step forward with en- air Of recepuvity, and 1t
is hoped by good many Democrats that Il
large number OF others will follow his exam
pie Now that he has spoken they should all
! try to overcome their bashfulnesS and give us a
good, wholesome crop Of favorite sons. Still, it
takes courage to acknowledge yourself a favor
tie son in the Democratic party in these days
! Of the overshadoWing inevitable candidacy, and
we wonder that even the encouragement offered
/ by AR Thomas L. Ryan and Mr.. Paul Morton
was sufficient TO embolden Senator Daniel TO
! come out as an aspirant.
Not drawer no who leaps the wall
BY level musket flashes litten
Than l. who stepped before them all
Who longed to see me get the mtten.
These lines which celebrate herosm of
humber sort, hardly do justice to the splendid
courage of q statesman coming out frankly as
"favorite son."
The courage is usually in the deed rather
than in the accompanying words, as it is in that
other acknowledgment Of candidacy celebrated
in the poem, and it is not surprising TO find the
utterance OF Virglnia's favOrite son extremely
mild. 81 think" he says, the national Demo
cratic platform should enuncate broad general
things upon which the Democrats are generally
agreed" Thus limited, it would be innocuous.
There would be nothing in it at which the most
timid would shy-none Of those political jack O
lanterns with which Mr.. Bryan is wont to startle
the Democracy. 1t would also be brief IN
less 1t INDUCED in more than the customary
gratuitous verbosity, platform containing only
the general principles on which the Democracy is
agreed would be the shortest on record. On the
rJr.
ciate only doctrines on which the Democracy IS
at one. There should be "a judlcious revision
mot a wrecking doctrinaire revision. We
should not develop other countries at the px-
'pense Of this country, pay other laborers at the
expense of our laborers or fatten distant con-
'sumers at the expense of our consumers"
1t should be tariff platform that would meet
all shades of opinlon-high to suit producers
and labOrers and low TO suit consumers.
The appearance of a Southerner as a favorte
son is particularly interesting because Of the
current discussion regarding the expeddncy Of
nominating a SOutherner for the Presidency
Senator Daniel apparently believes there is no
longer any reason why if the ablest and best
Democrats are in the South the party should
hesitate TO take its candidate from that section
He says:
In the wholesome condition of public feeling
that has come to pass think that the national
IIchel should be composed OF men according
their merit and availability, without regard to
the section from which they come. . The
race question in the South is in better situa-
ton than 1t has ever been since the upheaval
Of the Civil War The colored people as a rule
are well conducted, and the reforms Of suffrage
have eliminated dangers from our social envi-
ronments which were the sources Of the deepest
anxiety and apprehension. The people of tho
whole country are taking now more reasona-
bic and just view Of the subject than they have
done at any time In history.
That is O sensible view of the situation and
one which will commend itself to the people at
large. But the choosing of a candidate from
the South, while it would not be flying in the
face of any sectional prejudice would be vlolat-
ing that other political maxim requiring the
nomination OF candidate strong in the debat-
able part Of the country. There is no Southern
man with any personal strength whatsoever in
the North.
However, the South IS the best section for
favorite sons, the Democracy naturally having
had little opportunity to develop many in the
North. The example of Senator Daniel should
help other favorite sons to come forward with
their candidates. but just at present it looks
as If there were just as good q chance Of tax,
ing the nomination away from Bryan by the
Delphic method of Colonel Watterson rs by pro-
noting dollhouse booms Of favorite sons.