The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-01-03
4. doctrines and OF

ii elected, will give the
a constitutional and wise
government, They are safe in their
records in the formative period Of
the campaign
After all the sneerlng sympathy
there has been for the Democracy on
account Of an alleged poverty in the
matter Of leaders, the minority really
stands in the better position today.
There is not a citizen Of the United
States sounder in principles Of our
form of government than George
Gray, and there is not a more stable
Democrat in the country, lie is
ideal and real. Though his party
has been long in the minority the
uses Of a man Of the Gray stamp
are so manifest that the majority
party has found it necessary on
many occasions to call on such a
person to 60 to the front in grave
emergencies. George Gray has
bridged many yawning ehasms with
structures that stay. lie has done
this with fidelity to his country and
with devotion to the principles Of
the party Of which he is an unshak-
ing member. lie Is in the van OF
statesmen who thoroughly compre.
bend the cardinal foundations Of the
republic, and sees their application
to the present, There are other III
men, and this journal has no dispo.
sition to disparage; but Gray is the
one man in whose nomination by
the Democracy there would be nc
mistake, and against Which nc
Crouch" could persevere. lie would
serve faithfully, but he is in no attl
tude Of solicitation or begging.
Gov. johnson of Minnesota is an.
other man on the Gray plane o.
craftsmanship, He is a younge,
and perhaps more active man in the
practical politics Of the time, but Il
at the same moment a shining ex
ample of honesty and sound ludg
ment. Though Gov. Johnson, since
his entrance upon the politica
field, has been almost, If not quite
uniformly successful before tht
people, his head presents a norma
shape and poise. He has beer
popularity taken at his NANTES
worth. He asks for nothing, but !
he shall be drafted he will be quail
fed and faithful,
If the eligible list Of the Democ
racy went no further than Gray ant
johnson there would be no grount
for complaint on the part Of tn
sound Democrats of the country
and there ought to be happiness il
the rank and file of every part,
should either of them be elected
president; but there are other mel
abundantly able to fill a breach,
is not well, though, to have all o
them always on the screen, TIL
Republicans are now in what seem
to be an almost hopeless mixture Q
factions and personal ambitions
They have a lot Of good men, but ar
blistered with ambitions, The heart
burnings and the enduring hates OF
long lease Of power, They have n
candidate Of the composed dignity 0
Gray or Johnson-not even OF tn
chivalrous commander of 1896 ant
1900.
In the judgment Of this journal up
on which party stress OF any sort sit
but lightly, the presidential sltua
ton is in fine shape, and both grea
parties are likely to present goot
tickets, though both of them will b
pestered by the p%estiferous third,
fourth and perhaps fifth parties
The prospects are bright for getting
back to the representative principle
of government. Regeneration, reja
venation, original principles and yea.
are making a good showing already