The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-06-21
OPPOSED To HARMON BUT NON
COMNrTAIi As TO OTHER
PRESIDENTIAL POOSI-
BILITIES.
He Discusses Popular Election of
Senator's. Reciprocity and Other
Matters--He Is Opposed to BristOw
Amendment But Regards Force
hin Legislation as Rcmote-Some
Southern Senator's Secretly Fight
Ing Direct Election OF Senator'S.


1eSteFudy 0ttefnOOnt unu spent the
night In the city. as the guest of Mr..
and Mrs. Williams l.. Gonzales and a.
II. Gonazlss. He left at s o'clock this
morning fur Dillon. where he will de-
liver an address at 10 o'clock. and
from there VIII follow his announced
itinerary.
soon after his arrival here, Col.
Bsyan was visited by a representative
! OF Ths State. to whom ne granted an
Interview. expressing himself freely
and unhesitstingly upon questions of
partirllar interest at present. When
asked his opinion on the, next presi
dentiat nominaticn. he said he did not
consider the situation sufficiently de-
y31oped to indicate who would receive
the nornination. as he thought 1t de-
pended a great deal upon what con-
sress does. Ia answer to reference to
the probability of the nomination go
ing to Gov. Harmon Of Ohio. Col.
Bryan said te did not regard him as
n possibility for the nomination. and
that II was inconceivabie that the
Democratic party would make such q
mistake.
He did not Indicate who would be
his choice. but In discussing the va
rious public men who have been
spoken OF most prominently in con-
nection with the nomination. he re-
ferred 10 Gov. Woodrow Wilson as
having been well received In his tour
throughout the country. 4f
He outlined his objections to the
Bristow amendment now before con-
stsss, and hcfcd s're pee pie of the
South would understand that much Of
the opposition to II was pure bun
combe. and that some Of the Southern
senators did not want popular election
OF senator's upon any terms or in any
form. and that some OF them are as
anxious To keep the senaJe under the
control Of the predatory interests as
the Eastern Rel ablicans are.
Col. Bryan said he hoped the SEN
ate would pass the reciprocity meas
ure without the Root amendment and
thought the agreement would bring
less direct advantage to this country
than imagined. but that Its beari *
on the tariff question would bring in
direct benefits likely to be very i'm
portant.
When sought for an interview Me
was enjoying the refreshing breezes
after his not and dusty trip. He
readily CONSENTED to the request and
after settling himself comfortably in
a big wicker chair he was asked:
what do you think OF the Bris-
tow amendment"
II think IL Objectionable; not be-
cause there is any real danger OF the
force bill regard that danger as
largely imaginary. but the Bristow
amendment IL Objectionable because
II seeks Co secure what may be re-
garded as a party advantage In the
making OF the change IN the method
OF electing senator's. The house reso-
lution IL open to the same objection,
although as a Democrat, j prefer
that the advantage shall be secured
by the Democrats II II Is 10 be secured
by any one. believe that the fairest
thing would be To SO amend the reso-
luton as to permit a State to re-
turn to the present method OF elect
Ing senators for successive periods Of,
say. ten years, II majority OF it's
voters desire to do so. This would
give us the popular election Of sena-
tors In all the states and. at the same
time. II would enable the Southern
states To retain such advantage as
they now have by return to the cleo
ton by the leg. stature in case Of the
passage Of the force bill a danger
which regard as exceedingly re-
mote.
"By limiting these returns TO ten
year periods. and making it contin-
gent upon majority vote Of the pco-
pie, the public would bc insured
against a return TO the present
method. except where the people real
Is desired it. Their, is really no oh
lection To- leaving tho method Of cleo
tiOn optional with tn" State. As the
senator's represent the state. the
State could safely bc trusted to decide
the method OF election.
II hope. however. that the people
OF the South Will understand that a
considerable part OF the opposition to
tho Bristow amendment Is pure bun
combe. and that some OF the Southern