Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1908-01-02
Politics GsttIng Interesting.
Newton Enterprise.)

The political situation at the
close OF the year ! 1907 is a most
interesting one. Since the disas
trous route of the Democratic
party in 1896, following the
sweeping victory OF the proceed
ing election, the Republican par
ty has been so strongly entrench
ed in power that there has been
a feeling that it could not be sup
planted for many years to come.
But during the past six months
things have been happening that
have caused much uneasiness in
the Republican ranks and hope
in the Democratic ranks. The
policy Of the Republicans to
"stand pat" on all the leading
questions affecting the butiness
-
interests OF the country has not
met with the approval OF a large
parth that party and with the
independent, conservative 7oter.
The recent panic has strengthen
ed this dissatisfied element in the
opinion that the ruling party has
failed to meet the requirementof OF
a growing and prosperous coun-
| try in the way OF currency and
! tariff laws. OF course there is q
difference of opinionin the party
on this subject, and this differ
! Ience is causing n spirited and bit
ter rivalry between the support
ers of the various candidates for
| the party nominated next June.
In this state OF affairs, t h G
! Democrats see much encourage
4
ment And there is II friendly feel
ing and less facticnal fighting in
the party than for several years.
On doctrinal grounds there is al
most perfect harmony. All h e
spurious doctrines that h q v G
crept into the platforms, begin.
ming with 1896, have b e Il
abandoned and the next plat.
form will be constructed an old.
time Democratic lines, no mat
ter who shall be the candidate.
| Mr.. Bryan is still the leading can
didate for the nomination, but
he is no longer advocating free
coinage OF silver, government
ownership ofrailroads and such
things as many of best men in
the party have all alongcondem
ned as undemocratic In all his
recent speeches, he has PLACED
himself on the kind of platform
tho party abandoned in 1896
The only question is, whether he
would be the hestrongest candidate
considering his past record We
gould nominate on q truly Demo
cIatic platform. THERE'S sa strong
doubt, especially among the rank
and file men OF the patty in every
IState as to whether we could Mr..
Bryan on any platform and with
any amount of dissension III the
1 Republican ranks. For this rea.
son, there has sprung up during
the last few weeks a strongmove
ment fer the nomination OF Gov,
John A. Johnson, of Minnesota,
who has twice been elected Cover
nor in that strong Republican
State. From all that has been
written about him, there appears
to be no doubt about his sound
ness as a Democrat and his abil'
ity. He lives in a section where
the Democratic party was max
ing great inroads into the oppo
sition ranks before the fatal year
1896. We cannot predict what
this Johnson move will amount
Ito, but Democrats who place
winning an election over Repub
licans above winning a nomina
ton in q convention over fellow
Democrats, will give it earnest
and respectful consideration.
Our own opinion is, that oul
changes with Mr.. Johnson woul(
, be much better than with Mr.
Bryan.
"And what did papa say t
P 4