Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-07-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Washington, d. G., June 27.-With
more than two-thirds of the votes in
the Democratic national convention
pledged to William J. Bryan, only the
nominee for second place and the plat
form remain to be settled and it is
safe prediction, so great is Mr.. Bryans
control of his party, that he will as
surely dictate both as did Secretary
lures of the Republican convention.
Already there is a small army of news
paper men at Lincoln and some Won
derful tales are flashed over the wires
from the Nebraska metropolis each
morning, most of which will be taken
by the sober minded Democrats with a
considerable grain of allowance. For
instance, one ordinarily reputable
newspaper tells its readers that Mr..
Bryan will not have Governor johnson
on the ticket under any circumstances,
while another declares that former
Senator Chas. Towne has been chosen
by the Peerless Leader for his running
mate, and another as solemnly avows
that former Governor Douglas of Massa-
chusetts, is to be vice presidential NOM
inee. OF course all this makes fairly
interesting reading, but those who
know MI. Bryan will not imagine for
a moment that he is confiding to GER
tain newspaper correspondents, as diff
ferentiated from the entire press, these
most important purposes, nor is it like
ly that Mr.. Bryan has himself reached
any definite decision so far in advance
of the convention.
So, too, in the case of the platform.
One correspondent gravely assures the
public that there will be no anti-injunc-
ton plank in the platform, while an
other asserts with equal solemnity that
the anti-injunction plank is already
drawn. Still another states that there
will be no free silver plank and is in
turn contradicted by brother scribe.
1t is true, however, that when in New
York recently Mr.. Bryan did say posi-
lively that there would be no free silver
plank in the platform, explaining that
this was not because of any change in
his two convictions, but because OF
changed conditions which rendered I'M
necessary at this time any reiteration
| of his well known views on this sub
ject. 1t is further reasonable assump-
| ton that the platform will condemn
the shilly-shally financial legislation OF
| the Republicans and the creation of a
| 'sNational Monetary Commission"
which, from its very composition, is
bound to report to Congress in favor of
only such form of financial legislation
as is satisfactory to Nelson w. Aldrich,
senior Senator from Rhode Island, and
his Wall Street friends.
Prominent Democrats who watched
the trend of events at Chicago-and
| among them, keenly observent though
| unobserved, was National Chairman
Thomas Taggert-declare that never
were the conditions within the Repub-
Iican fold better for Democratic success
than they are this year. The "Old
Guard" as the old Hanna regime is
termed, had radical Rooseveltism SHOW
| ed down their Threats with a ramrod
4 SO to speak, and they by no means en-
loved the process. Speaker Cannon
rushed back to Chicago to try to save
the party and especially his friends
from the sswave of radicalism," as he
called, it, which was sweeping the old
guard out of places of power, but even
| the Speaker and the powerful inf1u
ences he controls were powerless tc
stem the tide, and the anti-injunction
nlank. a makeshift it is true, but new
ertheless a declaration In favor of an
anti-iniunction law, tariff revision
plank which made the old stand pattel
snort with rage and other Taft-Roose
welt policies were damned through the
committee an resolutions, to the inf
! Mate discomfort of the old line, hard
shell Republicans. What will be the
result? The old fellows, the men who
for wears have protected their favorite
industries and have eXtorted from then
generous campaign funds in returns
will sulk in their tents, Hartman anC
the other undesirable citizen" Evil
lock up their check-books and it viii
no found as difficult to carry Repub
lican election without funds as it is fo
Frenchman to talk without the use o.
their hands.
Another factor in the Republican
eouation which seriously menaces the
success of that party is the split over
rational chairman. Secretary Taft
the presidential nominee, wants tt