The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-07-03
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON, D. c., JUNE 9th, 1905

Mr.. EDIToR:-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 platform remain to be set
tied and it is safe prediction, so great
is Mr. Bryan's control of his party, that
he will as surely dictate both as did
Secretary Taft dictate the same impor-
tant features of the Republican conven-
lion. Already there is small army
of newspaper men at Lincoln and some
wonderful 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
tells it's readers that Mr.. Bryan will not
have Governor Johnson on the ticket
under any circumstances, while another
declares that former Senator Charles
Town has been chosen by the Peerless
Leader for his running mate, and an
other as solemnly avows that former
Governor Douglas of Massachusetts, is
| to be the vice presidential nominee. OF
course all this makes airly interesting
reading, but those who know MIR. Bryan
will not imagine for moment that he
is confiding to certain newspaper cor
respondents, as differentiated from the
entire press, those most important pur-
poses, nor is it likely that Mr.. Bryan
has himself reached any definite decis-
ion so far in advance of the conyen-
ton.
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 anoth-
er asserts with equal solemnity that the
anti-iniunctian plank is already drawn.
Still another states that there will be no
free silver plank and is in turn contra
dicted by a brother scribe. 1t is true,
however, that when in New York re-
Gently Mr.. Bryan did say positively that
there would be no free silver plank in
the platform, explaining that this was
not because of any change in his own
convictions, but because of changed
conditions which rendered unnecessary
| at this time any reiteration of his well
known views on this subject. 1t is
further reasonable assumption that the
platform will condemn the shilly-shally
| financial legislation of the Republicans
| and the creation of National None
tary Commission" which, from its very
| composition, is bound to report to Con-
gress 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 observant, though
unobserved, was National Chairman
Thomas Taggert- declare that never
were the conditions within the Republi-
can fold better for Democratic success
| than they are this year. The "Old
| Guard, as the old Hanna regime is
termed, had radical Rooseveltism shov-
ed down their Threats with ramrod so
to speak, and they by no means enjoyed
the process. Speaker Cannon rushed
back to Chicago to try to save the party
and especially his friends from the
"wave of radicalism, as he called it,
which was sweeping the old guard out
of places of power, but even the Speak
er and the powerful influences he con-
| trolls were powerless to stem the tide,
and the anti-injunction plank, make
shift it is true, but nevertheless decla-
| ration in favor of an anti-injunction
law, tariff revision plank which made
the old stand patter snort with rage and
other Taft Roosevelt policies were jam
med through the committee on resolu-
tions, to the infinite discomfort of the
old line, hard shell Republicans. What
will be the result? The old fellows, the
men who for yeats have protected their
favorite industries and have extorted
from them generous campaign funds in
return, will sulk in their tents, Harri-
| man and the other undesirable citi-
zens'' will lock up their check-books
and it will be found as difficult to carry
Republican election without funds as
it is for Frenchmen to talk without the
use of their hands.
Another factor in the Republican
equation which seriously menaces the
success of that party is the split over
national chairman. Secretary Taft, the
presidential nominee, wants to have
Frank Fl. Hitchcock, the gentleman who
guided the "steam roller" at Chicago,
appointed chairman of the National
Committee. Secretary Taft's brother,
G. P. Taft, on the other hand. opposes
Hitchcock and favors Arthur l. Vorys,
the manager Of the Taft forces in Ohio
necessary and abundant cash with
which the campaign has thus far been
| carried on, which makes him a difficult
individual to turn down. Altogether,
| Judge Taft is finding that the battle is
| far from won when the nomination is
secured and his inexperience in politics
places him at serious disadvantage as
compared with Mr.. Bryan.
The County Commissioners will
offer at public sale at the Court House
next Tuesday, twelve 81, 900 bonds. the
| proceeds of which will be used for the
| nrnctinn IF addition to the Court Ennsa