Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-14

sectional. l recalled also the fact that
Republican newspapers have been in
cline:l TO scott at the Democratic party
because. while it got the majority of
its electoral votes from the south. it
had never selected Il southern man rs
its standard bearer in the presidential
battles. The latter fact is true. yet
there are some people who know that
if eight months ago the south had de-
sired 10 rally about Il truly southern
man, and man who had shown un-
failing loyalty to the principles of the
Democracy of today. such q man might
easily have been nominated. l have
some reason to believe that Mr.. Bryan
himself would have looked with favor
upon such a nomination. but in per-
Sonai conversation with distinguished
| senators from Virginia. from South
| Carolina. from Alabama and from
| Texas, two OF whom at least might
| have been considered as possible candi-
dates. and from correspondence with
certain Democratic governors of south
ern states | learned that the south it
self did not feel that the time was ripe
for southern candidate.
| Tile Democratic party should elect
one more president from the north"
said one senator TO me. before it goes
south for candidate"
But what of Republican sectional
ism? Abraham Lincoln was the near
est approach 10 a western man the Re
publican party has ever nominated for
the presidency. The party has never
looked west Of the Mississippi river for
a candidate and does not now. The
| history of the real weSterners who
sought Republican nominations has
been an uninterrupted record of dis
aster and defeat. Today the only man
among the list of those striving for
J the Republican nomination who is near
the borders of the Mississippi is Speak
err Cannon. Indiana has one. Ohio has
two. New York has two, but frem that
great territory which gives to the Re
publican party the bulk of its electoral
votes not one candidate has appeared
1t may at least be said for the Demo
cratic party that, with Nebraska. Min
neSota, New York and Maryland all
having possible candidates for its ma
tional candidate, 1t cannot be accused
of sectionalism.
And speaking of the geographical
distribution of votes recalls the fact
that New York newspaper which
seemed very much distressed lest any
Democrat should be nominated for the
presidency with a show of winning
has been finding great comfort in the
daily publication of a map showing
the gradual loss of the west and the
north to the Democratic party
Daily it lays stress upon the fact
that in 1892 Mr.. Bryan worked and
voted for Weaver in Nebraska. the
Fopulist nominee for the presidency.
1t carefully, however, refrains from
mentioning the fact that he. was ask
ed to do so by the Democratic nation
al committee and that largely as a
result of his efforts the electoral vote
of the state was given to Weaver in
stead of to Benjamin Harrison, a re-
suit by which Grover Cleveland profit
ed greatly.
Was that bad service for the cause
of Democracy?
1t emphasizes the truth that Mr.. Bry-
an has not carried Nebraska either for
himself or for any other candidate
since 1896. 1t ignores the truth that
the only Democrat who ever did carry
Nebraska was Mr.. Bryan. And it has
not expressed any horror or indigna-
ton over the fact that Judge Parker
did not carry New York.