Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1908-02-14

hard and fast upon the heels of Mr..
Bryan's visit to Washington. That
visit has done more to cement the Dem
ocratic party into one harmonious
whole than any recent event within
the party lines. Mr.. Bryan spent four
or five days In Washington He saw
practically every public man of impor-
lance within the Democratic party.
His plea was continually for harmony,
and not one word was said to him
which suggested that this year we
would not have substantial harmony.
There was much talk prior to his visit
In the newspapers, though as far as
known it was not authentic, to the eff
feet that there would be a systematic
endeavor on the part of his friends to
persuade him to voluntarily withdraw
from the presidential race. Mr.. Bryan
was here, he met all the public men
of his party, both his avowed and his
pretended friends, but no one suggest
ed his withdrawal, no one questioned
his present right to leadership. AS he
remarked good humoredly before leav-
ing Washington, the committee which
was to request him to withdraw had
failed to materialize, even though he
had himself gone to seek for it.
One incident, however, of Mr.. Bry-
ans visit deserves, in view of the
Roosevelt message, some special atten-
ton here. The day before the presi-
Dental message appeared New York
newspaper printed with great promi-
hence 4 story to the effect that Mr..
Bryan had declared that he would
make his campaign for the presidency
largely on the Roosevelt policies. The
newspaper referred to said that he de-
sired to be "a second Roosevelt" In
response to this Mr.. Bryan telegraphed
to me: at is absurd to say that l un-
reservedly indOrse or have Endorsed the
policies of Mr.. Roosevelt or that l
seek to be the heir of those policies. l
have frequently, however, referred to
certain Democratic policies which the
president has seen fit to take up and
indorse. l have time and again point
ed out policies which bear his approx
al, but which are un-Democratic. In
speech l made in Washington last No
vember l pointed out the policies he
adhered to which are un-Democratic
and what policies he supports that are
Democratic.
1T is ridiculous to say that or any
other Democrat should indorse all his
policies, but l have been glad to have
him indOrse Democratic principles
whenever he saw fit. l might point
out the following legislation which the
president has supported as being Dem
ocratic: The regulation of railroads and
railroad rates, the prosecution of illegal
combinations and trusts, the income
tax and arbitration of both information
al troubles and dissensions between
labor and capital.
These are all Democratic beliefs
They have been Endorsed by the Dem
Ocratic party and have been in the
platforms of that party for years.
am glad that the president has been
able to convince so many Republicans
of the righteousness of these Demo
cratic principles. l am sorry that he
has been unable to convince more.
regret that the Republican leaders
have refused to join with him in car
rying out these Democratic ideas
which he has indorsed."
This is Mr.. Bryan's personal state
ment as to his attitude toward the
new Roosevelt Democracy 1t is worth
consideration and bearing in mind
The Hughes Candidacy.
Governor Hughes has formally an
nounced his platform. The speech in
which he expressed for the first time
publicly his views on national ques-
tons was eminently characteristic. 1T
is not likely to arouse enthusiasm for
him any more than his personal ma
ture awakens either enthusiasm or de-
votiOn. Cold, logical, a typical inquis-
itor and withal a man of unblemished
integrity, but utterly destitute of real
democratic sentiments, he appears to
an observer the last man in the United
States to be a strong presidential can
didate in this year, when party and po-
litical antagOnisms and enthusiasms
are obviously going to run high. Gov
ernor Hughes seems to be the Judge
Parker of the Republican party If he |
has sympathies with the masses of the |
people, he has not expressed them.
Governor Hughes does not keep step
with the progressive element of either
his own party or the Democratic party. |
He is temperamentally opposed to the
views, the ambitions and the hopes of !
the great masses of American voters
today. If Roosevelt is a Republican,
Hughes is not And if Hughes is
he has back of him no
party outside of the narrow eastern
circle of states. 1t is improbable that |
be will be nominated, but if he should |
be there viii be surprises in store for
his party on election night
Washington. D. G.