The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-08-10
BRYAN is A POWER
WILL HAVE HIS SAY ABOUT THE
NEXT CANDIDATE.
Some of His Enemies Says He Is
Dead, but He Is Very Lively
Political Corpse.

HOuIlCai COrpSe.
The Washington correspondent of
The Spartanburg Herald says every
newspaper reader is familiar with
the fact that Bryan is dead one,' -
for all the big papers say SO, and the
little papers, most Of them. neces-
sariiy get hold Of a lot of the same
kind of stuff, all sent out from the
offices of the big ones 1t has been
three times and out for Bryan. He
is now to stand aside according to
the advisers of his party, and let
someone else have chance to take
the lead aud bear the party's stand
ard.
This view is pretty general-that
Sryan will never again be a candi-
date Tor the presidency on the Demo
crate ticket, and of course he will
not on any other ticket. The fact
that nc will not say so, however, as
Roosevelt old, has never ceased to
trouble the anti-Bryanites. If he
would only put down in black and
white over his own signature that
he would not under any circum-
stances again consent to be candi-
date, there would be joy in che
camp Of the anti-Bryanites.
But, according to those who know
him best, Mr.. Bryan has a differ
ent view of such things from that
held by most leaders. He believes
that candidate is his party's choice.
In other words, he believes that If
his party should see fit to nominate
him again, even though he felt sure
of mis- own defeat, and even though
he knew that in accepting the NOM
ination he would he doing his own
fortunes a positive injury, he would
consider it his duty to obey the will
of majority Of his party delegates.
That is the kind of Democrat the
Nebraskan Is.
If he should, The: efore, declare
that under no circumstances" !"
would he again be candidate, and
the convention should see fit to nom-
inate him, he would have difficulty
in squaring his conduct with his pre-
vious declaration. Therefore, Mr..
Bryan will not make the much de-
sired declaration, but prefers to do
as his party commands. But the
word that Bryan is dead one"
is gone out in all the land, and in
many instances the wish is father
to the thought. And in many in
stances, although there is a firm be-
lief that he is dead, there is a grave
yard fear that his ghost may yet
be abroad in the land.
The ridiculous part Of it is, ac-
cording to some Washington politi-
cal observers, that the people who
are surest of lBryan's deadness are
the first and the loudest to protest
if the Nebraskan even expresses an
opinion. Almost any other man may
express preferences in political mat
ters, but it seems to be felt that Mr..
Bryan must not say a word. When
he dares to speak out-this one who
has no influence now according to
his enemies-there Is a howl from
one end of the country to the other.
Leading editorials are written in
condemnation of his efforts to "boss"
his party, when all that he has done
has been to give his personal opin-
ions. Cartoons all over the land
express the idea that this man-who
Is a has-been, be it remembered
is interfering with the destinies of
the party that he has thrice led to
defeat and disaster.
"Why is it, said strong ad-
mirer of Mr.. Bryan to this CORES
pondent, man who admires Bryan
but believes that he will never again
be the Democracy's standard bearer
-"why is it, if Bryan is so dead, so
utterly devoid of Influence that there
should be much OPPOSITION raised,
from one end of the nountry to the
other, when Mr.. Bryan has simply
expressed an opinion-something
that all of us in America claim the
right to do? Why can't he say
whom he prefers for the presidency,
or whom he does not prefer, without
being accused of trying to "boss
his party?"