The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-05-29
The Republican Party Nothing
hut a Mama.
TAFT TO BE NOMINEE
President Has So Decreed, and Four
Hundred Federal Employees Will
Do His Bidding White House
Autocracy Has Disgusted G. o. P.
Leaders-Mr. Bryan at the Cover
nors' Conference, !,
ax WILLS j. ARRoT.

nors' Conference.
BY WILLIS j. ARRoT.
This administration is making hlsto-
ry, and the sincerity of purpose of the
president conquers even those public
men who question bis policies and who
are inclined to resent the gradual in
crease in the federal power for which
he so emphatically stands. The confer
ence of the governors Of the states of
this Union held at the White House
was a notable event and will by future
historians be estimated as one Of the
great political occurrences OF the early
years of the twentieth century. Pres
ident Roosevelt has done many clever
things but none more clever than this
one. He brought together Democratic
governors insistent upon state rights
and Republican governors who are IN
clined to look leniently upon the ex-
tension Of the federal power. He har-
monized them so that all went away
applauding his programme. he brought
as distinguished citizens in private life
Mr.. James ]. Hill and Mr.. Andrew
Carnegie, Mr.. W. J. Bryan and Mr..
John Mitchell, who fraternized and.
without sacrificing any Of their indi-
yiduai beliefs or convictions, parted
the best of friends and equally devot-
ed. to the purposes for which the con-
ference was called,
1t would be futile and foolish to as
sert that no politics was talked by the
delegates to the convention. But the
two statesmen whose names appear
most frequently in discussion OF the
Democratic presidential nomination
talked no politics for publication Mel
ther Mr.. Bryan nor Governor Johnson,
though pursued incessanliy by newspa-
per men, said one word concerning any
eersoaal. aiaaey ser the nomination
Mr.. Bryan utterly refused to give any
interviews on political matters, and his
speech before the governors, which
was received with such enthusiasm as
the White House never before wit
messed, had not one line in it that could
be described as partisan. Neverthe-
less Mr.. Bryan left the conference a
stronger man than when he went in.
He had shown the governors and the
delegates that he stood for certain is
sues that were not necessarily partisan
and that he was quite as able to ap-
plaud the president upon issues which
he believed to be right as to oppose
those he thought wrong. There was no
more enthusiastic reception given to
any one, not to the president himself,
than that given to Mr.. Bryan when he
spoke.
What the Governors Thought.
After the conference was over rep
resentatiyes of New York paper
which is bitterly antagonistic to Mr..
Bryan polled the governors on thei1
preferences for presidential nominee
Here is the result: Every Democratic
governor was for Bryan; every Repub'
lican governor who did not come from
a state having "favorite son. was FOL
Taft. Governor Folk Of Missouri said
in my presence: "M!5souris vote al
Denver will be cast for Mr.. Bryan. II
is well known that am supporter OF
him." Governor Conner Of Alabama
said, 81 am for Bryan and believe thai
he will be nominated and elected
On the Republican side perhaps the
strongest statement made by any one
outside of the states In which favor
lite sons" are being urged was thai
from Governor Warner Of Michigan
who said: Quote me in the most Wig
orous terms as being in favor OF TART
The entire state of Michigan is for him
and I have no doubt that he will b'
nominated and elected
Here in Washington there has ceaseC
to be any doubt of the nomination OF
Taft but every day the doubt OF M:
election is becoming more general.
A Story From Alaska.
Thomas Gale. territorial delegate
from Alaska. elected on a nonpartiSal
ticket. told to number of friends IL
the house cloakrooIn the other day
story which has no particular pDiitica
bearing. but which has some interes
as showing the enthusiasm which Mr
BRYAN is able to awaken among nj
Sunporters. Mr.. Gale was Il miner II
the far rccesSes of the klondlic II
1896. 4 paper III Dawson rejoicing L
the name Of the Daily Nugget prepal
ed during that militant year or pol
tics golden souvenir and invited II
readers 70 vote as to whether II 5houl'
be given to Mr. Mckinley or Mr.. Rry
an. The editor Of the paper was Il lie
publican and had no doubts as I
what direction the gift would take
The souvenir WAS a golden clrcl
within which were suspended smaI
models of the miners tools, the picE
The windlass. the pan and the olhe
necessares of the proSpector. In
election was he'd OH Canadlan SCI
and was, Of course. purely sent
mental affair Thomas Gale lravcle
on foot sixty miles from his camp i
the Klondike wilderness to Dawson
rolling himself in his blanket at nigh