The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-01-30
THE NEW CAESAR.

Thee Democratic party's courage is
equal to its craftsmanship. A few days
ago when.Mr. Bryan was headed toward
Washington knots of leaders We're re-
Notwithstanding about the Capitol,
their faces blanched with the firmness
of their determination, their breasts
heaving with the intensity of their emo
tons. They were resolved, come what
might, to tell the perennial candidate
that decent regard for the food of the
party required him to step aside this
time and,allow the nomination of some
one who.at least had chance of being
elected. Mr.. Bryan arrived, and all
The valorIof these white faced patriots
Oozed.out at their palms, like Bob Acres
courage. None applied the flattering
JUNCTION to. the Nebraska man harder
than they. Like guilty creatures into
whose secret thoughts they feared he
might:penetrate, they outdid themselves
in their brunt offerings to his vanity.
Did theystell Mr.. Bryan that he was a
dead weight tied to the neck of the
Democraticlparty? why should they?"
asks Mr.. Bryan with unfeighned sur
prise.
Every where'the Nebraskan goes he
is assured that he is the party's only
hope, and Washington wasno exception.
If anything, the fattery there was prob
ably laid on thicker than any where
else, so Ethat no suspicion would enter
his mind that his fatterers had mo
ment before entertained reasonable
resolution to tell him the only hope for
the Democratic party,lay in his "abdica-
ton Mr.. Bryan never hears what
the Democracy says about him behind
mis- back. He never escapes from the
delusive atmosphere of sycophancy. He
is the idol of the masses and the peer
less leader of his party; for do not the
Democracy's lieutenants, who moment
before were forming brave and solemn
resolutions to tell him the truth, assure
him that but for him the party would
perish utterly from the earth! Not
Caesar in all the pages of Tacitus was
surrounded by more eager eulogists.
Whence this mortal terror with which
Mr.. Bryan inspires his party? If it is
true, as we are told, that a large and
influential group of Senators and Re-
personalities believe there would be
hope for the Democracy with Mr.. Bryan
confined to the Chautauqua circuit, why
dare they not explain the situation to
him? Though somewhat incisive in his
language, he has never been known to
eat a Democrat aliye. If they think he
is fatally doomed to defeat, why should
they be afraid to tell him so, and at the
same time to point out that with john
son or Folk or some other of ''The New
York Worlds" gallery of possibilities
there would be a hope of victory? A
man certain to be beaten surely cannot
be very dangerous to their ambitions.
Mr.. Bryan has in the past exerted his
eloquenee to eliminate certain DEM
ocratic leaders from public life. We re-
member the case of Mr.. Roger Sullivan
of Illinois. Mr.. Sullivan happened
somehow in the rough and tumble of
politics to abrade the self-complacenc
Of the Nebraska leader. Mr.. BRYAN
spent th4 greater part of three years
laundering against the Illinois leader,
but finally observing that his bolts
glanced off innOcuous he went to Illinois.
declared he himself had a soul above
cherishing enmity, invited Mr.. Sullivan
to forgive and forget, and now Mr.. Sui
Ivan is his chosen instrument and fast
sworn ally. We recall this Sullivan in
stance for the encouragement of the
white faced gentlemen in Washington
who in few days will again be asking
themselves, Upon what meat does
this our Caesar feed that he is grown
so great?"
The Democratic party is in real need
of some martyrs, some leaders with
sufficient courage to face without finch
ing the fate of Mr.. Sullivan. Telling
the truth about Mr. Bryan behind his
back will not save the day. If there is
any general sentiment such as reported
to exist in Washington, why not out
with it? Why try to make up for revil-
ings Of Caesar behind his back by genu-
Elections in his presence? We know
that there is long existent feeling
that the best way to get rid of Mr..