The Washington herald., 1907-11-18
MONDAY. NOVEMBER IS. 1907.
Mr. BRYAN and "knifing.n

We do not claim 10 have. in any degree,
that gift Of political second sight the
possession of which is admitted by
Editor Watterson. and we are fully
aware Of the popular tendency TO speak
OF preSumptuOusness when youth takes
issue with age. But a statement which
appeared in the Louisville Courier-Jour-
nal few days ago seems to us to be so
wide of the mark that even al the risk
OF inviting illusions to the adage about
the members Of certain class Of society
rushing in where angels fear to tread. We
are impelled TO go on record with our
disagreement. In brief editorial pre-
sumably written by Mr.. Watterson him
self the organization of a society for the
selection OF "a Southern man for Presi-
dent is told of. and part of a letter
from its chairman. Evander Shapard. to
the editor OF the Courier-Journal is
quoted IF" says Mr.. Shapard. we can
secure the sympathy and cooperation Of
yourself and a few recognized leaders OF
opinion like you, we will give this move
ment an impetus which will. in our judg-
ment. carry it over all the Southern
States. The South has now an oppor-
it?' And Mr. Watterson's answer is.
The trouble here is simply that Mr.. Bryan and
his friends VIII not have 1t. They viii knife any
Southern nominee as they knitted Judge Parker
They 90 not mean that anybody shall ride in the
lani wagon excerpt themselves. That spells defeat
hut they had rather be beaten -han give up their
l-imacy."
While, for reasons which have already
been noted i'm these columns. The Wash
ington Herald is not enthusiastic over the
probability OF a Southern man being
nominated by the Democrats or elected.
II nominated. we do not believe that. IL
such man were chosen, Mr. Bryan and
his friends would act the treacherous
part suggested by the gentleman from
Louisville. As every Southern man who
has been talked Of as a potential candi-
date is in agreement with Mr.. Bryan on
the live issues of the day, so any South
ern man who could, by any means. re-
ceive the necessary number Of votes in
the convention next year would have to
be and naturally would be. in agreement
with Mr.. Bryan. He would have to DE.
because no anti Bryan man can possibly
be nominated, unless there is a rcvoIu-
ion in the Democratic party as at pres
ent composed. and he naturally would be.
because. efforts to produce a different
state of affairs Notwithstanding. the Ne
braskan easily leads I'm Southern opinion.
We do not believe that Mr. Bryan
would rather be beaten than give I'D this
individual party primacy, which is what
Mr.. WattersOn's charge amounts to. We
think that Mr.. Bryan would heartily and
sincerely support candidate whom he
regarded as Of the right sort. and we de-
cline 10 accept the view that he considers
himself the only one who is of the right
sort. His opposition to the nomination
OF Judge Parker at st. Louis and his
lukewarmness-tO put it mildly-in the
subsequent campaign are easily under
standable. Though members Of the same
party. Mr.. Bryan and Judge Parker were
further apart on certain vital points than
some Democrats and some Republicans
are to-day. Influenced by elements inim-
ical to Mr.. Bryan, Judge Parker sent
his famous gold telegram" which thou
sands OF good Democrats regarded as a
monumental mistake. Naturally. this did
not make for ardent support from Mr.
Bryan. Furthermore-and most innor-
tant of all-Judge Parkers intimates and
trusted advisers throughout the cam
paign were men between whom and Mr..
Bryan, or between whom and the peo-
pie. there never can be anything In COM
mon-Sheehan, Belmont Ryan. ct al
Bryan and Bryanites We're ignored by the
safe and sane" Democracy. and the re-
suit Is history. The circumstances were
in no way analogous TO those which
would be presented by the nomination OF
"A real Democrat from the South or any
other section. We do not think the Ne
braskan and his followers would knife"
such a candidate and we do not believe
the country thinks they would.