The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1907-05-16
WatterSOn'S Dark Horse.

Mr.. Watterson has dark horse hid
den somewhere in the wilderness east
of the Allegheny mountains and north
of the Ohio river. It is vast region
included within these limits, and there
in are many democratic steeds that
might be more or less available for the
presidential race, but none so conspic-
ulously prominent that his identity
may be easily surmised.
"Marse Henry" has got the public
guessing and it is not easy to divine
just who the "good organization dem
ocrat' to whom he refers may be. One
who could "still the discords and re-
store the harmonies" within the demo-
cratic party would be a genius indeed,
for the democratic factions are as far
apart as the poles, and the leader who
can find for them common cause to
be supported with unity and enthusi-
aam would be such man as has not
yet risen above the political horizon.
Ex-President Cleveland in retire
ment "deeply deplores the socialistic
tendencies now observable in this
country, " and Mr.. Bryan is promul-
eating his radical and progressive de-
mocracy." These two men both call
themselves democrats, but they have
hardly an idea or principle in COM
mon, so far as it may pertain to gov
eminent and politics. They dislike
each other cordially and each has thou
sands of followers between whom there
is little better feeling than there is be-
tween these two men personally And
between Cleveland and Bryan there
are democrats of various shades of
opinion. Many who followed Mr.. Bry-
an in his free-silver propaganda do not
give adherence to his policy of govern
ment ownership of railways, nor to the
still more characteristic populist doc
trine, the initiative and referendum.
And there are former democrats who
have seeded from even Mr.. Bryan's
type of democracy because it is moi
radical enough and have aligned them
selves with Mr.. Hearst and his indie.
pendent league.
If Mr.. Watterson has found in the
great west, the region between the
Alleghenies and the Pacific, the lakes
and the Ohio, man with sufficient
magic in his leadership to weld this
heterogeneous and Earring mass into 6
harmonious whole, he has made great
find, indeed and the public is eager tc
see such remarkable man brought
into the limelight.
Judson Harmon lives within the re-
gion described by Mr.. Watterson, but
he was in Cleveland's cabinet and ht
would no more suit the Bryan demo
Gratis than Judge Parker did. If Mr.
Watterson means to be very liberal il
his geographical deliminations he nigh
mean Senator Culberson. He said hi
man 'does not live east of the Alleghe
MES, either, nor south of the Potoma,
and Ohio" Texas is further soutl
than the rivers mentioned, but not dI
rectly south of either. Still, it is prob
able that MIR. Watterson intended Il
eliminate the entire south by the de
scription he gave, and it is hardl,
probable that he is grooming the Texa
senator for the race.
In fact, Mr.. Wafterson's plan of in
Producing this dark horse seems to b
grounded on the supposition that Mr.
Bryan does not want the nomination
or at least is willing to withdraw in tn
interest of one "who can better unit
the party" This robs the riddle o
some of its interest Mr.. Bryan's ide
about the democratic party is yer.
much the same as that Louis XIV ha,
about the state, and he had rather b
King than Warwick. Nashville Ban
ner.