The Washington herald., 1908-06-24
POLITICAL GOSSIP.


or do nothing Of striking effect; may
fail TO give utterance 10 d single cpl
grammatic sentence Of keynote quality,
but HIS wholesome individuality will
continually stand out. and the country
will like him the more as Il knows him
better
big BIZ Taft 1t has a fetching
ring. And how II will arouse the college
spirit throughout the land! Yale particu-
lorly will have its inning in this national
game Of politics
Discounted REPUBLICANS who are
recalling 1892 and pessimisticalIy won
dering whether history is not going TO
repeat itself. forget how different the
conditions then and now. Harrison re-
nominated himself by the use OF Fed
eral power, I'm much the same way that
Roosevelt nominated Taft. But Harri-
son never possessed any of the elements
Of personal popularity He could not
get close to the people He commanded
their respect fer his sterling qualities.
and challenged their admiration FOR his
wonderful intellect. but he was not the
sort Of man the populace ever warmed up
10. Even Cleveland had the advantage
OF him in not being wholly devoid of
human frailties.
Harrison got out OF touch with the
rank and ile Of his party. He knew nor
now 70 deal with men. His course filled
the leaders with resentment. Many OF
them were persona non grata az the
w hlte House They did not approve OF
hlrn' nor he Of them. He was not the
sort OF President they wanted.
Ihen. 70 make matters worse. a panic
was coming on, and the party knew it.
Ana so, after the Minneapolis conven-
uon, although the party did not allow
IHlhss 10 go altogether by default. II
gave him only a half-hearted slIpDort
mus permitting Cleveland 10 come back
INTO power and bear the panic's burden
ana In the end send Democracy 10 The
aemnjpon boW-WoWs TOR at least tWe2ve
years 60 come.
But THERE is no analogous situa-
ton I'm 1908. Admitting that as much sore
ness and bitterness have been engendered
against Roosevelt as against Harrison.
mat the convention methods at Chicago
are Just as deeply resented as were the
convention methods at Minneapolis. still
the party is not likely 10 hold Taft re-
sponslole for all that. His only offending
les IN MS being the beneficiary Of
reprehersible use of official power. Had
roosevelt been renoTlinated. doubtless
countless Republicans would have settled
scores with him. &c they did with Harri-
son, and then Y would have been left 10
fkA f-n1fr.aTe
10 elect him. as surely they would have
done; but party resentment is felt to-
ward Roosevelt and not toward Taft. and
fl is TAFT, not Roosevelt. who is running
for President Hence the conditions In
1905 are not a reproduction Of the condi-
uons existing in 1892. And a panic IS fad
ing away-not coming on.
BUT IF Mr. BRYAN EMPHASIZES
from first % last the danger involved in
a Presidents undertaking 70 name his
successor. and II the people fully grasp
the danger Of il. undoubtedly ii viii cost
the Republican party lot Of votes.
BRYAN AND JOHNSON. Nine out
Of ten Democrats viii tell you that this
is the ticket they wo..iI like 10 see nomi-
mated az Denver. Not Tom Johnson. Of
Ohio. for second place. but John A John
son, Of Minnesota. Nobody feels abso-
lutely sure that such a ticket would or
could win. but everybody has an idea II
might won. The battle ground is bound 10
be in the Middle West Bryan must carry
States IN that territory whicn are nor
mally Republican in order 10 reach the
Presidency. Unless Johnson's strength
out there is greatly overestimated. he
could help nightly.
Olney. OF Massachusetts. is also a man
In whom Democrats put great trust.
Bryan and Olney would be a ticket
that would insure respect He IS an old
man. Olney but vigorous mentally and
physically, and the merit OF his Democ-
racy, as Bryan men view Il. is that II has
been always unwavering He has been
regular through all the party's ups and
downs-ever in line and for the ticket. II
he were running with Bryan, the Middle
West would. perhaps. not be the only
battle ground And who knows but
Grover Cleveland might be disposed 10
give more kindly consideration 70 the
trend Of things Democratic?
THE DENVER PLATFORM will be rad
ical. There is no doubt OF that But at
most II viii hardly be as radical as some
of the doctrines Theodore Roosevelt has
been preaching. A level-headed Washing
tonian is of the opinion that the railroad.
corporation, and trust questions should be
treated as follows:
Federal incorporation OF all railroads as the only
adequate means Of providing the necessary super
vision.
Prosecution Of all violations Of the law Oh evi-
dencc. put no persecution on public elamor.
That would not be radical Il would
really be conservative.
A REPRESENTATIVE OF a big New
York newspaper. one Of the leading
dailies In the East. said few days ago
that It was prepared TO support Bryan
this year II he stood on a conservative
platform. But that is thing that is not
going to happen.
PETTIGREw, OF PoPULsTIC FAME.
United States Senator for a brief period
from one Of the Dakotas. aspires TO be
chairman of the Democratic National
Committee. He is man Of ability. and
has toned down a bit since he went out
of public life. but his very name. in the
opinion of sober-minded Democrats.
would prove a handicap to the campaign
and make a Joke of IT,
A man OF affairs. like Francis. Of Mis-
souri,. or Chiffon. of West Virginia.
practical, resourceful politician-could do
more good for Bryan and the cause in
day than Pettigrew could do in six
months
The party needs TO get away from
isms' and keep in the background the
of "isms'' if It would take
advantage Of its campaign opportunity.
Old Age Pensions.