The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1911-05-04
Two Men Contrasted.

\ stronger contrast IN real lasting
ability of two men could scarcely he
found in national life than that between
Theodore Roosevelt and William len
uings Bryan.
BRYAN became national figure be.
fore Roosevelt diG, but he has suffered
I eclipse after eclipse by defeat which or
/ linarily means the permanent aud alb
solute retirement of most men.
| Roosevelt, after he became national
hgure, rose rapidly to the highest posi-
/ tiou in the nation and to the highest
| position in the hearts and confidence of
I the people His career vas meteOriC in
,wiitness and in briliance.
/ Bryan has had to contend against
/ greater odds than ever citizen contended
with for national attention and national
/ popularity.
! In the first instance he was opposed
/ Dy the combined money power OF the
world in which opposition Roosevelt
: was one Of the most active agencies so
far as his then modest opportunities al.
j iorded him opportunity
/ Roosevelt succeeded where BRYAN had
| failed, yet Bryan is a success where
/ Roosevelt is failure.
/ Roosevelt was elevated 10 the posi-
ton Of power which Bryan Ia, vainly
sought, yet Bryan possesses a power
which Roosevelt never felt.
/ Roosevelt, though twice president Of
the United States, though attaining a
place in the hearts OF the people scarce.
/ Is secondary at one time to that occu.
pied by the Father Of his country or by
! Lincoln, has lost his position, much OF
his power and influence and popular
sentiment would not tolerate longer
such close companion reference to
Washington and Lincoln in such con.
uection.
Bryan has grown every year as the
country and the people have come to
know him, while Roosevelt is losing
ground, never more rapidly than now.
Bryan is the most powerful single pc.
litical agent in the government today,
while Roosevelt's influence is second Ia
that of very many men who might be
mentioned.
With every opportunity at hand
Roosevelt has lost, confidence in him is
shaken; belief in his good judgment nc
longer exists as formerly, and his utter
ances are heard with increasing ques.
ton by all men OF all parties.
Bryan hampered b. defeat has grown
IN the confidence of the people, his
words are listened to by thousands who
never before suspected they would ever
see the day when they would seek to
hear his views, and now his Judgment
ON matters of public policy is ques.
toned only with caution except among
] : i,saf .,,t - 1n1 l..t
judice of few years ago.
Democracy can never become a con
servative party, but strange as it may
seem, Bryan is one Of the conservative
men Of the nation-far more conserva
tive i'll all matters than Roosevelt the
man who condemned him for his lack
Of conservatism.
There are reasons to believe that
Bryan may again be made the standard
bearer of his party III the next cam
paigu; not because Bryan seeks it OF
desires it, but because there will come
demand for it, and because he will
be found BY his partisan followers the
most satisfactory man to name for the
candidacy he will be demo.
cratic conservative candidate.
Roosevelt, as "A republican pOssibil
ity, was never so far removed from con.
sideration as now, if indications can be
read Alright. Taft. LaFollette-amost
any other republican would be accepted
in preference.
This is about the attitude of two
prominent men in this nation in their
relation to the people. One represents
that Of a man who, given every oppor.
tuuity and gaining every point, has
been unable to live up to what the PEG.
pie made him. The other represents a
man from whom has been taken the OPP
portunlty to do or to show what he Is,
discrciited by defeat and maligned by
enemies, yet who i'll spite OF 1t all is
today a greater man possessed OF more
real power than the One.time Idol OF
the people,
History doubtless has No exact par
allel To- present Boise idaho Capitol
News.