The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1910-01-04
Col. WatterSon as POSt-Mortem Ex.
aminer. &c.,.
aIDiner.

companion aid jovial opponent, has
recently devoted bit of attentio
to a State of New York. This at
tention to was entirely apart from
the little gambling episode, .invol-
wing dinler at Washington, be-
tween himself and Mr.. Joseph Pull
itzer of New York World. We are
not sure whether Hell bent" or
"Hold-fast" is the better dog, but
the editor of the National Monthly
eDjoyed rare treat in wading
through the C,lonel's four columns
i'll answer to Mr. Franklin Pierce.
The public is always deeply interes-
ted in whatever is written by Ken
tuckI s grand young man of many
years; but on the following para
graph from our dear friends pen.
we have motion to make:
Last year we could have elected
johnson, of Minnesota. We could
not elect Bryan for the reason that
the trend Of public opinion was
bent toward the middle course en-
bodied by last, who was elected
not because Of Roosevelt, but in
spite of Roosevelt. The country
had grown tired Of Roosevelt's in
cessantness and strenuositY and
would not take Bryan because he
seemed to much like Roosevelt.
Taft man of straw upon a platform
of inposture, played to the trade
inspirated temper of the time. The
people were thinking more of dol.
lars Than of doctrines.
Inasmuch as the voters have been
counted we Will concede that Col.
Watterson is correct in saying we
could not elect Mr.. Bryan. But we
offer, as an amendment. to strike
out so much of the paragraph, stat
ing as n definite conclusion. that
"last year we could have elected
johnson, of Minnesota. The wit
ness has nothing with which to
prove that assertion, and if We
naturally must conclude tie last
national democratic convention to
have been in lifferent tc party vic
tory, lacking. IN political sagacity,
oresight and wisdom; or worse, if
having a knowledge of the situati Il
to have deliberately cast aside VIC
tory for the benefit of one man
William j. Bryan.
A post morten IN politics is neither
enjoyable nor beneficial, bat the
conditions which the party f0'ed
in the election of 1908 precludes
the deduction thai any candidate
other than William j. BRYAN had
chance victory on the democratic
ticket. The party defeat in 1900
was attributed and perhaps fairly
TO Bryan and the Bryan policies, so
called. The principles for Which
the Nebraska had battled were di-
rected the concience of the nation;
they were lacking neither in patri-
otc spirit nor popular welfare, but
upon their rejection the party turned
toward the East; From the ranks
of the conservatives the national
convention OF 1904 selected Alton B.
Parker, an ideal, Conservative dem
OCT 1t, splendid citizen, an able
statesman aud highly successful
iurist, the head Of the highest court
of the foremost state of the Union.
Throughout the d mocratic ranks
no better or worthi0r selection
could have been made, yet the de-
feat Of Jtdge Parker in 1904 was
Overwhelmingly greater than Gb'
defeat of Bryan in 1900 Betweer
the years Of 1900 and 1908 Bryan
had almost continuously toured this
county and foreign lands. His
popularity had apparently beer
steadily advancing, and with the
exception of plea for railroad
ownership under certain cotditioos
he had outgrown with tho country
the original radicalism IN which
public sentiment had wrapped him
The defeat Of Judge Parker had
made certain the nomination o
Bryan should he again enter th,
, field, and while his nomination
? did not offer us any ceItainties 0
victory the nomination Of any othe
8 candidates offered every assuranc
. Of defeat. IF we can recall wit
. 49,. ovoofpcoo fbo Ian ertacfo r