Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1908-02-07


colloquy In the House Over Bryan
and Parker-Nebraskan Loyal to His
Party-Uncle Joe Looms Large as a
Presidential Possibility.
BY WILLIS j. ABBOT.
An event of moment in Washington
was the promptness with which the
president and Secretary Taft saw the
importance of the Hughes announce
ment of his candidacy in New York
and met it by promptly retiring from
the field. What they did was clever
politics. l am frank enough to say
that in doing it they disappointed
many Democrats who had looked on
the controversy between the Hughes
and Taft forces in New York as likely
to cause clash which might give the
state to the Democracy The presi-
dent, who is the leading politician of
his party, has played his cards we'll in
a difficult situation. He played them
for his party, not absolutely for his
ernor Hughes the New York delega-
ton. Probably most of the members
of that delegation will accept Secre-
tary Taft as second choice, but even
this is not certain. But for first choice
against Taft are the great states of
New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana and
Illinois, already pledged.
Senator Proctor and other New Eng
land leaders say that all New England
will be against Taft with the possible
exception of the votes of Connecticut.
Everybody knows that Ohio will not
send an undivided delegation for the
secretary of war. He will have votes
from his state, but so. too, will his
chief enemy, Senator Foraker Two
days ago former Secretary Leslie NJ.
Shaw announced himself a candidate
and will in all probability be able to
hold the delegation of his state, Iowa.
Finally the appeal of those eminent
manipulators, eX-Senators W. E. Chan
dler and William Pitt Kellogg, to the
Republicans of the south to send unin-
structed delegations is going to ma
terially interfere with the progress of
the Taft boom in the territory which
in the hollow Of its hand. In the dark
days of 1876 Chandler and kellogg
were the fighting members of the Re-
publican party in the south. They
took long chances, but they delivered
the goods-to their own party. They
are not yet forgotten in the south, and
their appeal to southern Republicans
wilIanot go unheeded. At no time has
the Taft boom been so doubtful of sue
cess as today.
Mr.. Bryan and Judge Parker.
In the house of representatives re-
Gently Representative Gilbert NJ. Hitch
cock of Nebraska rose to answer GER
tain criticisms concerning Mr.. Bryan's
strength as candidate. Mr.. Hitch
cock gave some figures, which perhaps
need not be repeated here. But part
of the colloquy which occurred during
the debate has appeared only in the
Congressional Record, which few peo-
pie receive and fewer still read. The
controversy arose out of the assertion
made by Judge Parker the other day
that Mr.. Bryan had not acted in good
faith in his support of the presiden-
tial nominee in 1904 If Judge Parker
whom know and personally like, had
any idea of the amount of criticism
heaped upon Mr.. Bryan and upon his
intimate friends because of the Ne
braskan's action in supporting the
judge he would not at this late day
express anything except gratitude for
loyal support given under such ad-
verse circumstances.
But to return to the discussion in the
house. Mr. Keifer of Ohio asked Mr.
Hitchcock whether Mr.. Bryan had
acted in good faith in 1904. Mr.. Hitch
cock very properly said that that was
a question for Mr.. Bryan himself to
answer. But the representative went
on to say:
my opinion is that he acted in very
in a model way under the circum-
stances. 1t will be remembered in
further answer to the gentleman'S
question that when the great conven-
ton was held in st. Louis a desperate
fight occurred in the committee on res
olutions. Single handed and with
vigor and energy and ability unparal
I'm, Of 4Iok
an for several days and several nights
succeeded by his work on the commit
tee on resolutions in preventing that
committee from reporting a platform
which he could not honestly support
and defend before the people. After
the resolutions had been adopted, after
the platform had been made, after the
candidate had been nominated or about
the time he was nominated, after the
books were closed, that candidate by
wire made without authority what he
called and his friends called an addi-
ton to the Democratic PLATFORM And
yet Mr.. Bryan went forth in that
campaign and made the best fight
that he was capable of in support of
that ticket"
1 quote here from the Record:
Mr. Gaines of Tennessee-And Judge
Parker thanked him.
Mr. Hitchcock He fulfilled his
pledge and received the thanks of
Judge Parker during or near the close
Of that campaign.
Mr.. Macon-Mr. Chairman, 1 desire
to interrupt the gentleman just a mo-
ment in reference to Bryan's work for
the ticket that was nominated in St.
Louis.
Mr.. Hitchcock-YeS.
Mr.. Macon-I desire to state that he
e.. .ao.a..o.,4;e,,