The Irish standard., 1907-12-07
In Hundred Years No One Has Had Any
Such Hold on the Regard of Party
as William j: Bryan.
Polk, Styled the First Presidential Ozark
Horse, Was Followed by Pierce
and Garfield.

Charles M. Harvey, an able writer.
but a Republican in politics, and some-
thing Of partisan, writes as follows
to the st. Louis Globe Democrat under
date Of December 1st. He says:
The persistency with which William
]. Bryan retains his hold on the af-
fections Of his party is one Of the
1narvels of politics. His announce
ment that he will accept the candida
cy in 1908 is received by the country,
by his enemies as we'll as by his
friends, as a matter that was newt
able. His enemies In his own party
and they are neither few nor obscure
renew their attacks upon him, but
they are prepared to accept the stu
alton. They are aware that nothing
except his death between now and the
meeting Of the convention or his alb
solute refusal to be candidate can
give the nomination to anybody else.
And as he is young, robust and ambi-
tious. thAy sec no chance that he will
either die or resign. Such papers as
the New York World, the New York
Times, the Charleston News and Cour-
1er, the Nashville American, the New
Orleans Pioayune, the Louisville Cour-
ier-Journal, the Jacksonville Times
Union and other stalwart Democratic
Journals, say that their party has not
the shadow OF a chance for success
under his leadership. but they see that
his leadership Is certain, and they are
making no serious opposition to it.
Candidacy Predicted.
The Atlanta Constitution, whose ed
itor is Clark Howell, Georgia's member
of the Democratic National Commit
tee, very wisely remarks that "if the
Democratic party cannot win under
Mr.. Bryan's leadership it can not win
at ALL" and that paper accepts the
candidacy as fixed. There is still some
talk Of putting forward a Southern
candidate In the convention and Of
making an attempt to get the delega-
tions from all of the Southern States
to unite upon him. A meeting with
that object in view took place at Nash
VILE two weeks ago, and an address
was issued to the whole South calling
on all the people Of that region, in
their primaries, to declare In favor Of
some Southern candidate. AS no man
from the South, however, has been
put forward to make contest against
Bryan, this movement has not the
slightest chance to succeed. One of
the papers Of that section, indeed, in
dulges in prophecy and menace.
: Says the Nashville American: IF
the Southern delegates to the next
Democratic National Convention will
only stick. together and select South
ern man as their candidate and ac-
cept no other, 1t may lead the So
called Democrats Of the East and West
to go themselves, and thus create a
third party. All right; let them.''
Thus we have, on the eve of the Sc
lection of delegates to the conven-
tions, a menace Of q split in the Demo-
cratic party, and hear threat to
have the Charleston convention of 1860
repeated. But there need be no real
fears on this score. It is possible that
there may be bolt against Bryan in
1908 like that which took place against
him in 1896, though even this is not
likely. Palmer was put up in 1896 by
the gold Democrats, but most of the
anti-Bryan Democrats voted for Nc
Kinley. Probably most Of that ele-
ment will support the Republican csd-
didate in 1908, but the break In the
Democratic line will hardly be as pro-
nounced as it was in that year. A
good many things that were looked
upon as destructive radicalism doz-
en- years ago has more conservative
appearance today.
But the student Of history will look
In vain along the whole line Of presi-