The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-06-02
NOT "HARMON AND HARMONY

Although the outcome of the fall
elections is by no means certain, the
Democrats have been encouraged to
believe that the prospects of their
party were better than they have been
since the second election of Cleveland
| in 1892 and an element of the Repub-
lican party has conducted itself in a
manner calculated to strengthen that
belief. The faithful have been looking
across the intervening years TO 1912
and asserting that if Hon. Judson e.
Harmon were reelected Governor OF
Ohio, and if conditions in the Republic
can party did not improve, then Gov
ernor Harmon probably would be
elected President of the United States
two years hence.
Just as all these roseate visions
comes one William J. Bryan, of Ne
braska, thrice defeated as the Demo-
cratic Presidential candidate and still
far and away its most commanding
figure, asking the following disturb
ing and uncomfortable questions of
Governor Harmon in an open letter in
his newspaper, the Commoner:
Have you any influence with the
Democratic State Committee? If you
have why did you not urge the COM
mittee to include the selection of a
candidate for United States Senator
in its call for the State Convention
IF you urged this upon the COM
mittee and were turned down, why
don't you appeal to the convention,
as Governor Marshall did?
Are you willing to follow his ex-
ample? Do you lack courage, or do
your prefer the dark lantern methods
THAT are responsible for the elevation
Iof so many corporation tools to the
Senate?
They may even suggest the name
of John r. Mclean, whose paper is
one of the boldest assassins of Demo
cratic policies. Do you think you
can carry him through a campaign?
This is a crisis which will show
your size. Are you ready to have
your measure taken? If you falter
prepare to stand aside. The Demo
cratic party is in no mood to be trif1ed
with. 1t has suffered so much from
the secret manipulations of the preda-
tory interests that it demands day
light methods and honest policies.
! 1T is up to you, Governor"
1t will be remembered that Mr.. Bry-
! ans support of Alton B. Parker, as
: his party's candidate for President in
1904 was not of nature to set the
lprairies on fire. This letter to Gov
| ernor Harmon introduces an element
of discord that will be viewed with
no little satisfaction by Republicans
who have troubles of their own. While
= Mr.. Bryan himself may not be a can
didate for the first place on the Dem
ocratic ticket of 1912, he is reluctant
to lose his grasp on party affairs Gov
: ernor Harmon was member of the
late President Cleveland's cabinet, and
is more acceptable to the conserva-
{ tive wing of his party in the East
than to the radical Western element
The difference is quite as pronounced
between the two factions of Demo
Gratis as it is between the radical and
conservative Republicans.
Mr.. Bryan stnll retains, as a result
/ of his great personal popularity and
{ wonderful oratorical power, strong
hold on his party. His attitude to-
ward the man who is considered al
, the present time as the most avail
| able Democratic candidate for the
Presidency is very significant. The
: ticket of the opposition party in 1912
may be headed by Harmon but the
value of the slogan, Harmon and Har-
mony," is rather badly damaged by
Mr.. Bryan's letter.