Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-01-15
w. J. Bryan as a Presidential
Nominee

w. Bryan as fresiuent,al
Nominee
Communicated.
There Is less than six months
now from the dates fixed for the
Republican and Democratic Ma
tional Conventions. 1t would
seem that VIM. Taft 10 backed by
President Roosevelt, and appears
to be in the lead for the Republi.
can nomination. He is a strong
man, and lie believed to be in sc-
cord with those policies of Roose-
Welt which have beer adopted from
the Democratic party platforms.
The reactionaries in the RepIbli-
can party will leave no stone I'm
turned to defeat his nomination,
for obvious reasons. All the pro
greseive measures advocated by
Mr.. Roocevelt in the interest OF
the mass Of the people, are not
looked on with favor by the fnan-
,ial and protected interests which
have heretofore controlled the Re-
publican party. 1t is an even
chance whether Taft will win out
or lose.
In either event, 1t seems to us
that the wise thing for the Demo
cratic Convention to do, which
meets a month later, lie to nominate
tbe man who has given vitality
and whore name is inseparably
associated with every policy that
has made Roosevelt popular. If
Taft is nominated, there would be
no earthly chance for any reaction
airy Democrat to escape a cyclone
and whlrlwind destruction from
Taft representing these popular
policies. The unfortunate fate of
Parker would be more than dupli-
Gated. On the other hand, If
Taft should not be dominated by
the Republicans. but reactionary
be tie cadidate of ttat party,
we feel that no Democrat
could make the popular and
successful campaign against re-
trogession like Bryan. In either
event, we believe that if Bryan
cannot be elected, no Democrat
could, and it seems to Us that
Bryan would stand far better
chance in either event than any
other Democrat. Every progress
sive movement under the Roose-
velt administration has been advo
Gated in and out of season by Mr..
Bryan, and the platforms upon
which he ran long in advance of
any suggestion of support from
sir. Roosevelt, and Mr.. BrYan's
i 1t and pioneer bravery in blaz
lcg the way fer true reforms for
the benefit of the pee pie, which at
the time were rallied against by
his enemies, have been taken ur
ty Mr.. Roosevelt. and the work
carried on as best he could with an
ursympathetic party behind hin;
ard now let us have Bryan and II
united democracy in the next elec'
Iion, and we believe that the cOun-
Try may be swept and a new era
f square dealing, equal chance
lud distributed prosperity will en-
Tue to our whole country, with
generosity 10 our South
,rE country.
To-day there is scarcely a man
rom the South in any of the gen.
raj appointive Offices of tie gov
Wherever the flag flies
L foreign lands ever censulates,
etc. few, if any, south
I'm men are there, none in the |
"a binet, nor attorneys for the
government, and if you PICK up
he papers, you cen scsrcely find
southern man invited to a public
JUNCTION. Under present condi-
ions, we are almost a province.
With Mr.. Bryan, descended from
this certainly would be
hanged. Under his bread demo
ratio instinct, feelings and rrin'
iples, all this would cease to ex
st. and the South would have a
air and equal show with the West
nd North. Let us therefore all
,ut cur shoulders to the wheel.
DEMOCRAT.