New-York tribune., 1907-09-26
THE REAL PROBLEU-

Eyervhody used TO acknowledge as an unSoiFeu
national problem. What shall we do with our
eS-Presidents:' Now we must all admit tha'
this is a problem which our ex-Presidents nav (
always solved for themselves without potheiihs
the nation about il in the least. 1hes navy
gone about their affairs as If profoundiH uh0'n
scious that their fate out of office. was the great
national riddle They have practlsed law sono
into the insurance business and turned lheii
hands to various other pursuits just as IL 'he
ewes of the country were not upon thein iheS
have settled down TO become very huihu, ui'''
ordinary citizens. and. doing so, have not dero-
gated from the dignity of the nation over VIII"
they ence presided They are no problem Inc
varv real problern are our ex-candidates Tor
President What shall we do with themf
We douht whether a man who has run ioF
the Presidency and been defeated can ever set
tie down like who has filled IL 10 liie
modest 1lnobtrusiveness of ordinary utility Diu
any ex-President ever insist upon nllIng so lalE
a space in the public eye as the Twice uele"'e"
BRYAN: Did any ex-PreSident ever Thrash W.
so nrcb old straw as the once defeated Parker !:
These two ex-canddates for President Il oe
faated man is ever an eX-candidate-Seehi l"
have been elected Public Characters Tor the rest
of their days. while an eX-PreSiGehl ID h''
Public Character. but may keep store or run
q
tude never mentioned" for the nomination NO
r,,blic tonic is completely discussed until Mr.
BRYAN has told the world what he thinks about
il The campaign of 1904 will never cease
Judge Parker is running yet, and he esteems 1t
the blessed privilege of the world to be inter
ested in his race. He warns to his subject as
time flies. shedding that cool judicial dignity
which was so much admired by his friends three
wears ago. You would think TO see him AT his
exertions that the campaign was now approach
ing its height with the election but few weeks
off and few telling blows" TO be struck before
the crucial day. The Constitution" was never
a livelier or more thrilling topic, and as for the
common law, he has the nation almost swept
off its feet by his moving passion over that
blessed heritage from the time when all wisdom
was. Did ever an eX-Pres1dent coinport hiinseh
thus:
our ex-candidates for President constitute a
real problem. and it is the reverse Of the one
often discussed regarding our eX-Presldents
In their case the question is what should the
nation do TO keep them from sinking 10 the level
Of ordinary citizens. In the case of the ex-can-
didates for President II is what can we do TO
bring them down to that level. 1t is serious
problem II troubles and harasses the Demo
cratic party to-day. What can it do with its ex-
candidate Mr. Bryan. who towers above all
other men by virtue or ms Two 0eIedtS lot lhe
Presidency? He has fastened himself upon IT
as its great Public Character. He speaks upon
every ponderable topic and he encourages the
general belief that his voice is the voice OF the
Democracy All this by virtue of being twice its
ax-caudjdare: if the Democracy should self
sacrificingy consent 10 fulfil his ambition ana
10 make him three times ex-candidate. how
much more would il be diminished beside MS
imposing figure? The party contempiates ITS
fate but does not know what 10 do with It's eX-
candidate A man would naturally think that
election to the great office would make great
national figures. while defeat would recommend
the defeated 10 the tender mercies of obScurity
But II is not so. and we blame the Fathers of the
Constitution that they did not think of some
place wherein to bestOw our excandidates
which would solace their ambitions and where
they could fight over their lost fights in their
own imaginations TO the end Of their honored
days If the Fathers could only have foreseen
what dear friends of the Constitution the ex-
candidates all they WOULD surely have pro-
vided something handsome for them.