The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-08-14
BY WILLS j. ABBOT.

of the Buffalo Times, for chairman:
Urey Woodson, the owner Of the
Owensboro Messenger, for secretary,
and Governor Haskell, formerly a
newspaper man of, Oklahoma, for
treasurer, it would look as if the Dem
ocratic party >as going into this cam
paign pretty well fortified by working
members of the press. Mr.. Bryan
himself has not been lacking in his
newspaper activities. Sometimes, in
deed. he has been jeered at by the op-
position because in 1896 before he was
nominated he was writ:us articles for
the Omaha World-Herald. 1t seems
curious that the only thing Mas can
do without being ridiculed by the Re
publican press is to be n federal judge
and issue injunctions against labor, as
did MIR. Taft, or to be corporation
llawYer and take fees from the Stand
ard Oil company. as did Mr.. Tafts as
sociate on the Republican ticket, Mr.
Sherman.
A Persistent Job Holder.
So there go into the campaign two
parties, one Of which stands, so far as
its candidates are concerned. Gs the
representative Of the working element
of this country. We can match at any
tine Mr.. bryan against Mr.. Taft as
a man who has fought his own fight,
won his own way, never held an ap-
pointive office of any sort, and who, If
never yet elected to Office, except in
his early days to congress, has made
his way successfully by individual
and intellectual effort to his present
position. 1t is not necessary to say
anything hostile TO Mr.. Taft. 1t is fair,
however, to recount his record. For
eighteen years he has never failed to
be Oh the government payroll. once
only he ran for an elective Office. and
that was after he had held that same
position by the power Of presidential
favor. AS q persistent and long time
occupant of federal jobs there are few
who can equal his record. There will
be boys almost able to vote in the COM
ing election who were born when Taft
was holding his first federal job and
who have not seen him out of one. AS
a pet of fortune Mr.. Taft certainly
leads the list AS real executive he
has vet to be tested, because he has al
ways served absolutely under the di-
rection Of bigger man, or at least
more dominant man. who told him
what he had to do. And | have found
that in the middle west at least the
feeling that the more dominant man
Will! continue to dominate Is hurting
the Taft chances very materially. One
mans acquaintance, even though he
tries to extend it as far as possible, is,
after all, but slight index to pubic
sentiment. But L think that here III
Chicago, which l should regard as not
at Ill friendly city to the Democratic
ticket, have met not less than thirty
Republicans who have resented the
Taft nomination more because they
felt It an affront upon their party and
violation Of the right Of the party
itself to pick its standard bearer than
for any other reason.
J Hsarst's Secession.
! The Democratic party goes into the
carIragn facing, of course. a serious
lack of funds, for that is always Its lot.
But ii goes in this time with absolutely
no apparent dissension among its lead
ers. The Hearst secession was made
only ridiculous by the convention held
In Chicago. The Republican conven-
ton was held at the Coliseum, which
seated 14,O00 people. The Democratic
national convention was held at Den
yer In q convention hall which seated
seven more and was packed to the
doors. The Hearst convention, -held
last of all in Chicago, was in hall
that seated 500 people. and one man
was able to make so much Of clamor
against the Hearst programme that
the convention was nearly carried
away, and 1t became necessary to Call
out The police reserves to save the SIN
gle delegate who asserted himself from
tie riot and the wrath of the Hearst
emr!nyees. There was never 50 trivial
or s., futile q conveltiOn held. But its
features are worth chronicling here be-
cause Of their humorous character. A
delegate who offered resolution de-
cIar:vg that the convention was free
and untrammelcd by any individual
was howled Off the floor by delegates
from Arizona. Missouri, Arkansas and
other states, most Of whom were rec
ognized to be drivers Of the Hearst de-
livery wagons in Chicago. The unfor-
tunate delegate who dared to mention
MI. Bryan's name was so roughly han
died by the same forces that 1t re-
CURED detail Of police to protect him.
a One Man Party.
And yet at this writing, only few
days after the convention Of the SO
called independent" party has ad-
Hourned, one cannot find IN any Chi
cago newspaper the most casual ref
erence to its recent existence or to the
Nlcket it put In nomination. Doubtless
bne could discover information OF this
sort in Mr.. Hearsts own papers here.
but people In politics have long ceased
to look to them for the expression OF
any public sentiment whatsoever. 1t
was Mr.. Hearst who said not so many
years ago that he didn't want any