The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1908-01-03
WATCHMlN, WHAT OF THE NIGHT?
A Cursoy View of State and Ma
tiDnaI Politics
Roosevelt Out oi the WAY. Can
Pryan bc EIeCted,-Thc situation
in NorIh Standardization and
Ring HALE a Menace to Democratic
Party.

IlOn mas ulSlOluleu the nAtlOnAl Ecpuo-
lican party-no. not ~disiointed II, but
badly Jared it-and has in like degree
put heart into b national democra-
cy TO make hay" while the sun seems
tc be shining their way. For a long
timethoughtful democrats, while not
favoring Bryan's nomination. or hav-
ing any hope OF his election when no.
minated, have had no man OF COM
manding ability and conspicuous pub
lie service to propose in his stead. and
had got themselves into the indiffer-
ent, pessimistic way of thinking that
perhaps he would run Is we'll as any
other a In a "forlorn hope" race;
with the solid south and part OF the
northwest at his back.
For two years Roosevelt and Bryan
have absolutely dominated the political
si~tuation-alike bold, aggressive and
sometimes dangerous. Each endowed
with a wonderful personality and the
power of compelling the admiration of
the masses, Roosevelt has made nim-
self feared by the large monopolies
Of the country; Bryan has made him
self profoundly distrusted by the con
servative business men OF the country.
They have neither forgotten nor for
given his free silvery heresy Of 1896,
and his ~subseQuest theories OF govern
mental policy have only increased
their anxiety.
With Roosevelt towering figure
no longer casting its shadow across
the troubled waves Of party feeling,
the decks seemed t. be cleared for new
action. with better chances Of sue
cess in the great struggle OF 1905.
Surely some such man as Governor
Johnson, of Minnesota, by all fair reas-
oning, by all the probabilities which
enter into a calculation OF the chances
Of winning. would command a larger
electoral vote than Bryan. Why should
he not? He is a better democrat than
Bryan: he has a record of success,
Bryan of failure; he has won by large
majorities; Bryan has lost. Could a
party enter the field more heavily han
dicapped than with a leader who has
twice carried it to defeat and disaster?
TWO things are to be reckoned with:
First, can Bryan be induced TO retire,
in the interests of the welfare and sue
cess OF democracy? / despair OF that,
unless to express IL slangily, he Is
forcibly checked off," Can the two
branches of the party be brought TO
unite ON another and a stronger man?
| have a little, only a little hope,
Of that. Bryan's popularity is appar-
emily very great. but that popularity
is not interpreted in its true mean
ing. Multitudes flock to hear him IN
the platform, for his magnetism draws
crowds and demands a hearing. But
the crowds are as great in the strong
holds of republicianism as they are
around the stump in the solid south;
and it by no means follows that a per-
sOnal admirer is a party adherent. The
throwing up Of hats is not always fol-
lowed by the casting of votes.
But the North Carolina democracy
have work before them at home, and
plenty of it. There is no call to fear
NCINdIs ~ q 40 IlN AtpdDAAN1Ll y
ponentS are concerned, but there is
great danger that victory may prove
in it's ultimate results TO be even worse
than defeat.
The storm centers' Of the campaign
OF next year will be the election OF
members of the legislature and the
committal of the party to prohibition
as a state measure. Even the nomina-
ton and election of a governor will be
dwarfed before the paramount impOr-
lance given to these two issues. T. is
useless to disguise the seriousness. of
the situation. The mass of the demo-
Gratis are supposed TO be getting ready
for the campaign after the work of the
state convention; but in point of fact,
the dominant wing of the party, head
ed by Governor Glenn. with the or
gan" and the antf-saloon league at his
back, have been waging the campaign
for two years. It's keynotes have been
first and foremost the election OF a
legislature which will vote against Mr..
Overman for United States senator;
next in the absorbing interest is the
passage of a sweeping act Of state pro-
hibition.
A marked feature in this prelimina-
ry, We might say, 'still-hunt" cam
paign, has been the crusade for party
purposes against the railroads on the
passenger rates. The great mass OF
the population of North Carolina care
little or nothing about this, for only
a small percentage of them travel on
the railroads. But every man, every
head of a family, is vitality concerned
in cheaper freight rates.
The pitch 10 which the selfish ends
Of politicians and expectant office
holders have driven the machine" OF
the party is strikingly illustrated in
the almost insulting treatment accord
ed 10 the railroad opinion OF the large