Semi-weekly herald., 1908-11-30
BRYAN SECRET is OUT;
JUDGE PLEDGE GIVEN

CHtCAGO, Nov CIV. E. Curtis
special from New York says: Never
before was there such universal sat
isfaction with the result of presi-
Dental election in the United States.
Practically everybody. unless 1t be the
peerless one and his immediate asso
ciates, is willing to make 1t unanimous
Two members of the Democratic ma
tional committee have publicly declar
ed, within the last three days, that |
Perhaps 1t is just as well that Taft |
should be elected, owing TO the critical |
condition of the commercial and finan- |
cial world" A certain Democratic |
senator said practically the same thing |
in my hearing the other night.
Il did not sympathize with the ap
prehension that existed concerning the
consequences of Bryan's election" was
the way he put it, but | admit that
it was very widespread. and it is prob
able that 1t would have caused an.
other panic. People get foolish some
times. and the Republicans had the
country very badly scared. Therefore
taking everything into consideration
we had better accept the dispensa.
tions of providence with relief, like
the man who was resigned because he
had to be" -
One of the well-kept secrets Of the
campaign was an assurance given by
Mr.. Bryan to what are known as the
Cleveland Democracy, and sometimes
| called the Mckinley Democrats, con
| cerning his choice of a secretary of the
treasury in case of his election. and
| the character of men he would Sc
lect for probable vacancies in the su.
preme bench. Those we're the most
critical danger spots in the Bryan sit
uation, and the conservative element
in the Democratic party, which oppos-
ed him in 1896 and 1900, insisted upon
some assurance before they would sup
port him this time.
| There are several stories in circula,
ton. All may be true without con
| flicting. One of them is that Mr.. Bry-
an submitted list of twelve names OF
Democrats of unquestioned ability and
integrity, and promised that he would
select bis secretary of the treasury
| from among them. From the same
authority IT is learned that he submit
/ ted a list of thirty eminent lawyers
who have belonged TO the Democratic
party and agreed that he would fill va
cancies upon the supreme bench from
among them in case he was elected
Another version is that he offered to
furnish such list, and mentioned sew.
eral names that would be included
This was considered sufficient; his
word was accepted, and the conserva
| tive Democrats, who were afraid of
| radical judiciary and a radical secre
tary of the treasury, expressed their
satisfaction. From another source
learn that Mr.. Bryan specifically
named Judge Gray of Delaware to sue
ceed Chief Justice Fuller, Alton B
Parker to succeed Judge Peckham, and
named two eminent Democratic law
yers, one from Kentucky and one from
Tennessee, for the seat of Judge Har-
Ian when that distinguished jurist de.
cided to retire.
| AS / said. these stories do not con
flict, and it is possible that all of them
| ha hut I hn, nl.1
to find any one who has seen the al
legged lists. A member of Mr.. Cleve.
lands cabinet told me that he does
not believe any formal list was ever
furnished, but understands that Mr.
Bryan wrote some names upon the
back of menu at dinner party and
passed them around for the approval
of the other guests. He will not ad-
init having seen the list himself, but
| knows people who did see it.
But nobody is sorry that Taft is
elected. Since ! came over here
have seen men of almost every trade
and every section of the country
| college presidents, clergymen. lawyers,
manufacturers, merchants, miners.
railroad men, bankers, planters from
| Puerto Rico, Cubans, and Filipinos-
and every one of them expressed his
qualification and declared that the
| people of the section he came from
feel the same way. One gentleman
expressed the opinion that no presi.
dent ever went into the White house
with such friendly and cordial mani.
festations of confidence from people
of all phases of opinion and classes
of society. They have confidence in
| Taft's ability and judgment; they
know he is levelheaded man; that
he is just and brave and conscientious.
and that he will be conservative and
impartial in his administration
i a . NJ a -