The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-25
THE ANTT-BRYAN MOVEMENT.

THE ANTT-BRYAN MOVEMENT.
 A year ago Henry Watterson. the brilliant editor of the Louisville Cour- ier-Journal. sounded what was intend ed to be trumpet call to the old line democrats of the country to be- gin then the serious consideration of some other man than William J. Bryan of Nebraska for the democratic nomination for president. The trum- pet call falling upon deaf ears Editor Watterson proceeded to withdraw the counsel and announce himself there after a supporter of MT. Bryan for obvious reasons. He regretted the situation but declared that he did not intend any longer to kick against the bricks; his advice was not wanted, so there was no reason under the sun why he should continue to impose it on his readers. Plainly it was his duty. he said, to climb aboard the bandwagon. He climbed.
 Notwithstanding the failure of Mir. Watterson to marshal the forces of opposition at that time. there is to- day a more or less widespread move ment throughout the country to with hold from MT. Bryan the democratic nomination. The situation calls for analysis. So far as MT. Bryan is concerned he has not declared himself more than a tentative and receptive candidate for the nomination. Here at New Haven he asserted that the democratic party owed him nothing: he owed the democratic party every thing; it had made him independent of office and of other than voluntary labor. He stated that his interest was that of a worker in the ranks, who desired the continuation of a policy with which the party had been asso- ciated since 1ss6 policy of pro- gressive and fearless democracy. Talk ing him exactly at his word. it may then be said by his friends that his extended speaking tours are wholly in the interest of the perpetuation of his policies and that no one can say that he is plotting for the office on the side; if finally he becomes the can didate it will be because his party sounds the unmistakable call. But his opponents, on the other hand, as- sert that his conduct can only be con- strued as deliberate purpose on his part to transform a receptive condi- ton of mind into popular demand for his nomination. We are in no mood to discuss which of these contentious is the true one. We are interested in the situation which these two con- tentions evolve.
 The fact that many states have ai- ready disclosed their attitude by re- fusing to commit themselves in ad- vance to his leadership may convince one that if nominated he cannot be elected. On the other hand, the sue cess of the opposition in moving MT. Bryan again aside as he was moved aside in 1904 in favor of another will not convince one that the new ticket can succeed. It is at this point that the extraordinary popularity of MT. Bryan enters into the calculation and of itself makes him the absolute ar- bitter of the situation. Only MT. the opposition successful at the polls. His followers number millions, but they are followers in a more than academic sense. They are followers in a personal sense. His personal magnetism. his upright character, his oratorical ability and his democratic bearing under all circumstances have impressed the masses of his party as direct evidence of his sincere interest in them as opposed to his interest in the moneyed element In this respect  his hold upon his followers is like that of MT. Roosevelt's hold upon his followers. The two men are very much alike in that regard and each is looked upon as the arbiter of his party's immediate future. Any at tempt on the part of the enemies of these two men. and by enemies we mean political opponents. to thwart their wills, even if successful in the nominating convention, would have widespread consequences so far as po- litical organization is concerned. It Is perfectly true. as stated more than once this session upon the floor of congress, that the republican leaders da,e not openly oppose President