The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-01-31
MIAMI NEWS-REcORp
AND THE NOMINEE.
Miami News-Record.
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The Pensacola Journal does the
| News-Record the honor of placing it in
line with the ablest papers in the
state on the question of a nominee of
the democratic party for the presi,
dency.
Incidentally The Journal also places
! the News-Record in line with the alb
/ lest papers of the south, notably the
Louisville Courier -5Journal, the
! Charleston News-Courier, the Savan-
nah News and other leaders of the
democracy.
That The Journal As mistaken when
! it says that the NeWs-Record may be
heard from in opposition tQMr. Bryan,
detracts not one whit from the implied
compliments, which this paper appre-
ciates.
The News-Record is not opposed to
the nomination of Mr.. Bryan.
1t is not opposed to any man of
great ability and integrity who stands
for democratic principles and who by
his position is in a position to COM
mand the votes of the people in suffi-
cient numbers to make his chances
of election good.
Democratic principles will live for
| ever, but faithful democrats are wear
| led of the continual procession to de-
| feat.
1t seems 10 the News-Record that
the wisdom of the democratic party
should be exercised to select the best
man, whoever he may be, that stands
| the best chance of being elected to a
position where he can enforce demo-
cratic principles in the administration.
Sentiment, is all very well in its
right place, but sentiment never car
| ried national election, never relieved
the people of burden of taxation !.
| never controlled corporations; never
restricted privileges: never accom-
plished anything for the benefit or
welfare of the common people.
The great heart of the democracy
goes out to and always will beat in
sympathy with the matchless Bryan
who, for twelve years, has been the
now living of the countless hosts who
supported him in 1896 and 1900 has.
or will, abate one jot of loyalty to
that great statesman, orator and dem
ocrat
1t is to be noticed that Mr.. Bryan
himself, with true patriotism, is not
insisting that he again be made the
candidate of the party
The soc duty OF the democrats and
Of the party, as the News-Record sees
it, is to substitute loyalty to demo
cratic principles for loyalty to an in
dividual man, however great that man
may be.
The question of a nominee should
be determined by the fitness of the
candidate and his chances of success.
We may preach principles forever.
but without power to enforce them
our efforts, outside of their education
al value, are vain and futile.
There is, Or should be, no question
OF the man, but whether the demo-
cratic party can achieve success and
control the policy Of the government.
That Is the sole and only question that
now ought to be seriously discussed.
If MIR. Bryan is the man who can
lead the party to victory, he has all
the other qualities necessary to make
a great president. as his abilities have
made him great statesman
But the question must be faced row
by the thinking democrat is. in the
light of the past. under all the condi.
tons that now prevail, can Mr.. Bryan
be elected?
There is no necessity of going over
again the history of the brilliant but
fateful and disastrous, campaigns of
1895 and 1900. nor Of the sombre cam
paign of 1904. That is all a closed
book and affords us no reason to be-
EeVe that this country is ready to re-
verse the verdicts then given.
The republican party is hoDe1essly
divided, and there is, from that fact
a chance for democratic success.
What the democrats need to do, be-
fore primaries and conventions are
held, is to soberly and honestly settle
the question of availability. and to do
his best to have his conclusions re-
hected in the choice of the national
convention.
If that sober choice IS Mr.. BRYAN.
then we'll and good.
II that choice is John Johnson, of
Minnesota, of whom it has been said:
His private life and public career
are both as clean as a whistle With
the schis'ms, blunders feuds and
brawls of the democratic party he is
in. no way identified He is a brand
new idea. He typiies the new era of
the party that cleans the slate and
forgets the past" then the News-Rec-
ord will rejoice
If that choice is Judge Gray, or any
other of the great democrats, he will
receive the loyal support of all DEM
ocrats, without reference to former
feuds and divisions.
All the NewszRecord wants the ma
tfonal convention to do is to declare
for the old democratic principle of
tar1n for revenue only, and to drop
isms" and present to the people |
clean cut, decisive declaration of mod |
ern democratic doctrine.
II that be opposition to Mr.. Bryan, !
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