Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1908-12-11


(Dem.) puts the case thus:
ut was Democratic defeat Tues
day but the element of disaster is Mr..
Bryai.'s own property. So far
as the Democratic party is concerned
the situation is very encouraging. 1t
is rid Of Mr.. Bryan'- pc 'petual candi-
'dacy. 1t has won great victories in
Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota, and North
DAKOTA, where IL elected its candidates
for Governor in spite Of the Republic
cal pluralities for President. II has
won hardly less striking victories IN
Illinois and Michigan, where Demo
cratic candidates for Governor nearly
overcome Taft plaralities of 10000
and 100000. 1t gains United States
Senator in Indiana.
"New leaders are coming up. Un-
balanced extre nists like Hearst, Debs,
and Watson have sloughed off. Demo
cratic Cover ors in Republican States
have rare opportunity TO demon
strste their capacity for leadership.
Compared with the situation four years
ago Democrats everywhere are justified
in new hope and new courage. There
is every prospect o. a welding together
of the party INTO an active, vigorous
opposition to Rooseveltism, Roosevelt,
tendencies, and Republican privilege.
It is easy to see what might have hap
pened rad there been candidate for
President who would have strength
ened the Democratic ticket in all the
great debatable States.
"Altho Mr.. Bryan is worse defeated
than ever before, fhe World believes
that the Democratic party Is in better
condition today than 1t has been since
1892" The Columbus State says:
"At this hour when honest govern
ment seems most distant, when tho
principles Of jefferson are without q
friend in power, when greedy trusts
hold eighty odd millions of people by
the threat, we are more than ever de-
voted to the cause of the many weak
against the powerful few; more than
ever devoted to the statesman, the
pure citizen, the lovable gentleman,
w. J. Bryan"
The attempt "to belittle and misrep-
resent the extraordinary achievement
of Bryan" in rsllying the party In the
doubtful States this year will fail, as
serts the Brooklyn Citizen and it adds:
" Never was any party better repre-
sented by candidate for the Pres
idency than the Democracy was this
year by Brynn, and they reckon Ill
who imagine that he will, tho with
drawn from the Presidential field, give
place to any other man at present visi-
BILE as the leader of the party. Never
could it be said more truly of any pub
lie man than of Bryan, that he was a
host in himself. Without money to
pay the most urgent of campaign ex-
penses, with the whole force of the
against him, and with an undisguised
alliance between the Republicans and
the very elements of predatory wealth
which Roosevelt has so often denounc-
ed he reunited his party SO thorough
ly that in every State in the Union
with the single exception, perhaps, of
the State of New York, it made i'm
portant inroads on its adversary, and
in not few instances wrested DO 81
tions of great value from its hands.
at may not please the opponents of
Mr.. Bryan to be told se,but as il is the
fact, they had better listen. Bryan
has never had firmer hold on the
confidence Of the great honest masses
of the Democratic party than at the
present hour
A note of despair appears IN the eoin-
meHt of the New Orleans Picayune
Democrat, which says:
.'It looks as if the DemecratIc party
as political power, has come TO an
end. 1t will continue to exist in some
of the States for local purposes, and
there will always be dominant white
earty in the South, but as national
power the indications are that De
lnocracy will play .very subordin&te
part. Issues are changing with grCa
rapidity The republican party 10 the
in the Union, and of I'll the vast .co
porate monopiies aud trusts. Under
its fostering care money ipo yer has
been created and built up, and OF ne
essity the offspring must stand:for its
parent in struggle that threatens bot h
Realizing, as the American people
will, that no. constitutional conservs-
tive organization ike the grand old