The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-01-17
THE PENSACOLA JOURNAL AND
MR.. BRYAN

Our esteemed contemporary, the
Pensacola Journal, is somewhat hyper
critical and hard to please.
This paper printed several articles
of a column or more in length in
which it sought to give certain rea-
sons why some other democrat than
Mr.. Bryan would make a stronger run
for the presidency.
The Journal did not pretend to con-
trovert the reasons set forth, and, in
deed, was candid enough TO say that
in the main they were strong and
forceful and that it subscribed to
some OF them.
The Journal ended its criticism by
insisting that the Banner "trOt out its
candidates.
/ The Ocala Banner had on previous
/ occasions named certain democrats
whom it thought all elements of the
democratic party could unite upon,
but at the instance Of the Journal it
went over the list the second time.
The Banner is now told by the Pen
sacola Journal that it was not so
much the names OF the candidates it
wanted as the reasons why the Ban
/ ner thought that they could poll
+ larger vote than Mr.. Bryan.
/ So we suppose that it is up TO this
paper to retrace its steps and again
/ go over the arguments.
: The strongest reason is that none
of the other democrats named have
made the strong antagonisms that Mr.
Pryan has.
/ The New York World says thar Gov
ernor Johnson would poll in the city
of New York alone 100000 more votes
than Mr., Bryan would.
Henry Clay was the idol Of the whig
party. He was the strongest man, in
|teuecruaIly. in its ranks: he was one
/ of the greatest orators the nation ever
produced. but though nominated for
the Office he could never be elected
president. vet this honor was con
ferred upon weaker and less popular
wings than he was Why? Because
aIr. Clay had made strong antagon-
Iisms. which the other candidates had
not done
Mr. Bryan polled a million less
votes in his second than in his first
race. and all the while the country
had increased in population.
What does this prove? It seems to
us that it proves that Mr. Bryan had
lost rather than strengthened his hold
on the masses.
We are told that Judge Parker poll
ed even q less plurality than Mr.. Rry-
an had done four years before. which
is true. But in nominating Judge Par
ker the democrats made the mistake
of going 20 the other extreme and
Judge Parker saw proper to make a
most unwise declaration about the
money plank that was then sought to
be put in the platform, which alienat-
ed from him many of the free silver
( democrats.
/ Under the present shape affairs
have taken. with a candidate under
whose banner all factions of the dem
Ocratic party could unite. it looks very
much like a victory is possible.
Mr.. ROOsevetIs legislation against
the railroads and his efforts to CON
fscate the property of the Standard
Oil Company and other corporations,
is believed by many to have brought
on the panic and hundreds Of repub-
licans stand ready to vote the demo
cratic ticket if some man other than
. Mr.. Bryan is made the nominee.
Individually Mr. Bryan suits this pa
per. but the editor would like very
much before he dies to see a democrat
comfortably esconsced in the White
House-one without any frills, big
sticks, gIittering spurs or other gew
/ gaws-just a plain. old fashioned
democrat, something like it is said
+ Governor Johnson is.