The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-12-07
Mr.. Bryan,s Method of Leadership.

/ The New York World. which is greatly
exercised over the fate of the Demo-
cratic party under Mr. Bryan's leader
ship. has the following 10 say OF the Ne
braskan's approval of many features Of
the Presidents message:
| If Mr.. Bryan is 70 be The Democratic candidate
in the next campaign the guns have been spiked IN
advance. What can the candidate or his party say
next year against the Roosevelt administration On
what grounds can they appeal to public opinioni
II Mr. Roosevelt has done as well as they assert #
his measures as sound as they declare. what
excuse would the people have for turning Mr.
Roosevelt out Of power 20 put them in possession Of
the government? Why swap horses while crossing
the stream2
There have been few occasions in the history Of
the county when intelligent sincere aggressive op
position 10 administration in power was more
needed than nov. There have been few occasions
when there were more tempting political opportuni-
ties for such opposition. Mr. Roosevelt is seeking
20 commit the country 70 the most revolutionary
schemes Of Capitalization and bureaucracy ever ad
| yanced By Chief Magistrate Thirty years ago
even twenty years ago-yes. fifteen years aga
rict-constructive Democratic party would have
leaped 90 meet this issue and would have fought
Mr.. Roosevelt it until every ballot had been
/ y.
parently, the Democracy under Mr.. BEyan's leader
ship is only wheel within the Roosevelt wheel"
We have always thought that Mr..
Bryan would have difficulty in making
successful campaign against Mr. Roose-
welt. and doubtless Mr.. Bryan has felt
the same way himself: but now il the
country takes the President at his word.
the Nebraskan's strongest opponent van
ishes. Mr.. Bryan will not have 10 con-
duct his campaign against the Roose-
welt administration. but against the
Republican candidate, who may be
out of sympathy with much for
which the President stands. We do not
know of a single Republican prominently
mentioned for the Presidential nomina-
ton who occupies precisely the same
ground that Mr.. Roosevelt does Even
Taft could not accept the whole OF the
Roosevelt corporation programme. What
if the Republican party should nominate
the conservative for whom the World
and other metropolitan papers are y trn-
ing? The World would not fri Mr..
Bryan's guns spiked in such an ey ,ntu-
atty.
The opposition to the administration
which the World thinks 50 desirable at
the moment is arising within the Presi-
dents own party. 1t should be remem-
bered that the Rooseveldan policies ap-
proved by Mr.. Bryan have been develop
ed since the last Presidential election.
They constitute a personal not party,
platform. They have never been formal
ly Endorsed in q national convention. or
made an article of party faith. To many
Republicans they are distasteful. and.
in fact, they reverse the traditional
party policy of working hand in glove
with great industrial interests. building
them up by legislation and accepting pay
therefor in campaign contributions. Mr..
Roosevelt has made a breach in this pol
icy that Grover Cleveland himself was
unable to effect He has practically
shaken off the corporation control that
was one of the conspicuous character
istics Of the G. o. p. He has outlived or
outgeneraled many Of the old Republican
bosses. But there are still a few left.
and If these should come into control
Of the party once more. how much of the
INpoScFtll pldllOTl Woulu lneY accept
Mr. Bryans case is quite different.
The Democratic party has been fighting
on his platform for a dozen years. That
Mr.. Roosevelt has accepted part of it is
one of the accidents Of politics. The Re-
publican party may repudiate some of
Mr.. Roosevelts Democracy In that
event. will not Mr. Bryan be strengthened
by the reputation? Divide and con-
quer" is the maxim of Mr.. Bryan's cam
paign. and the rising tide OF reaction
within the Republican party is his ground
of hope. The reaction may not go far
enough to endanger Republican success.
but il would be political suicide for the
Democratic party TO range itself with
Republican reactionaries in order to fight
Roosevelt Democracy. IT would be a
Reputation of its own Platforms re-
pudiation of the only platform on which
it has any chance whatever 10 win.