New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-06-11
THE LNKNOWN IDENTIFIED.

Though Colonel WattersOn, out of Overabun-
| dance of caution. has formally declined to name
| the Democratic Moses whom he has discovered
and is keeping In cold storage, there are signs
| that he is yielding to the strain of carrying
| about so momentous and potential secret. lie
! explains that he fears 10 disclose the identity
| of his predestined Democratic Presidential can
! didate for 1908 because the euviOus friends of
| other Democratic Presidential possibilities
would at once begin 10 "eviscerate" the said
| Man Of Destiny Mr.. Bryan's suggestion that
| il Is Colonel Watterson's duty to his country
"and his party to bring out his candidate
lone II he has but one several II he has sew
"erar'-is therefore waved politely aside as
q snare too patent to catch an old campaigner
In vain Is the net spread In the sight of any
bird But with all his good resolutions ard his
wariness in avoiding open pitfalls we believe
that Colonel Watterson has betrayed by III
direction q secret which could never have been
wr1ng from him by stealth and force.
There are those who say it is not reasonable
TO hang q man on clrcumstantial evidence. But
nobody denies that circumstantal evidence may
be morally convincing, and we cannot but find
IT more than a happy coincidence that just as
interest In Colonel Watterson's mysterious party
savior had been stimulated to the highest pitch
there should appear in The Louisville Courier
Journal a communication written by one OF
the most eminent, N6TSdUe ana bIllIdLl Oh lIN
ing Democrats pointing the way 10 victory in
1903. The writer matches in every detail the
description so far furnished of the unknown de
lIyerer He lives west of the AllcghanieS and
north Of the Potomac and the Ohio He is
clean able, approved and loyal and his hair
has never been touched with gray On the
contrary his capillary adornments are Of a hue
which time will have 10 hump itself to quench
or bleach. Mr.. Bryan is smooth and grave Of
face If the party is 10 have a new leader, why
should It not select one who will shine Ivy con
trast IN this as We'll in all other respects
whose whiskers are so refugent that they have
sometimes been describe4 by dazzled onloohers
| as pink?
That lets our own and Colonel Watterson's
secret out The writer of the communication
on Sound Democracy" published 10y The
Courler-J Journal" Is none other than the lion.
James Hamilton Lewis, who, after making the
State Of Washington famous by representing it
In Congress, moved to Chicago where he has
since co-operated with ex-Mayor Dunno and
other progressive Jeffersonians In working ont
schemes for the municipal ownership and OPP
Grafton of public utilities, either immediate
or only consruCtlyely "lmmediate." Colonel
Lewis is Just the man to rally defeated army
or lead a fororn hope. He is impcrjurbahle.
self-controlled, resourceful, incapable alike of
hesitation or panic. lie is, perhaps, the only
Democratic statesman who ever appeared on
the speakers platform Of a Democratic ma
tional convention wearing immaculate pearl
gray gloves and got away with his life ana Lis
reputation. He Is unconventional and as
many-sided as q Napoleon; and we can under
stand why Colonel Watterson looks to him to
challenge the Journalism and didacticism which
have characterized the present school Of Demo
cratic leadership Colonel Lewis is at one with
Colonel Watterson on this issue. As he says
IN his letter:
One thing must be prepared for. 1t is that
the American people are practical, and seek
practical results They not Interested in
mere essays abstract government. Initiative
and referendum. for instance.l The people want
a visible return for political Investment. They
have grown tired of fads and fanatics.
This is the voice Of Lewis; but il is also the
voice of WattersOn. Unfortunately living south
Of the Ohio the editor Of THE CONFECTIONERY
has found kindred Democratic spirit north Of
that stream. If he cannot save the party ia
his own right lie viii turn the rescue expedition
over TO a valiant, devoted and undscouragcaUlc
alter ego. The choice is wise one. Colonel
Lewis as q candidate will give the democratic
party "a return on its Investment" And he is
something of an "eviscerator" himself if "cyis-
cerati0n" is to be resortcd TO in order TO prove
the validity of the doctrine of the survival of
the fttest