The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-25
The Trouble-Makers
Are Busy

There appears to be a concerted effort to
make trouble between President-Elect Will
son and William Jennings Bryan. 1t is being
represented TO the former that Mr.. Bryan
4s d marplot and q >sehenser and"a seif-seeker:
that he means to be president in 1916, and that
whether or not he becomes member OF the
new administration he will secretly do every
thing in his power to wreck It. The New York
SUN. the New York American, and the as.tma-
BILE .. c. H." of the New York Times are al
busily engaged drawing portraits of the Com
moner with horns and cloven hoofs.
What is this theory of Mr.. Bryan's selfish
mess and treachery based upon First, we
fancy, on the fact that he has been three
times the nominee o. the Democratic party,
land. second, on the fact that he deserted
Clark at Baltimore for Wilson. Now, the
truth is that in those years since Bryan was
arst nominated for the presidency, up the
present enc, Bryan has-heeH- far and away
| the most available candidate Of the radical
wing of the party The question n 1900 and
1905 and 1908 was whether the Democrats
should name conservative or radical 1nere
vas no compromise possible and none would
have been advisable. In 1904 tEe conserva-
tiNes controlled the convention. In the other
years the radicals controlled. Once that fact
was demonstrated, Ii was inevitable that Bryan
SHOULD be the nominee, and had he been a
man utterly without ambition, and Of the most
supreme unselishness, he must naveri heless
have acquiesced in what The Well nigh
unanimous opinion OF his wing OF the party.
What about his deserton of Clark for VIII
son? The truth about that is that Clark first
deserted Bryan Not consciously, perhaps: no
one has accused the speaker of treachesy.
But the aignments of the convention had
brought about situation where the nomina-
ton OF Clark would have meant victory for
those elements of the party which Bryan $
always fought: 1t would have meant a VIC
terry of principles which Bryan has always de-
tested. On the other hand, the nomination
of Wilson. and OF Wilson alone, would have
meant victory for those principles to which
Bryan has always professed devotion. So that
in supporting Wilson the Ne5raskan was de-
ing the thing which his professions of The past
demanded. He would have been Inconsistent
in ling anything else.
.0se who want to find discredtable sell
fish motive for everything can doubtless find
one for Mr., Bryan actions. But the fact re-
mains that to fair-minded men there is moth
ing In the three-times candidates record to
justify the charge that he is nsincere o. u-
properly ambitious For ourselves, we beleyc
in his absolute sincerity, and shall continue SO
tic believe until he does something to demand
change of opinion. The idea that he /, a
marplot who will spoil the Wilson al minis
tration If he is given any share in It. is noa-
sense fhose-wio make that accusation are
also obliged to argue that-Rryan- Ell
gagged In similar work of deviltry tx Bali
more But his schemngs here, II such they
were, had but the effect of helping along VII!
sons cause And so will his Screenings Of
the next four years, we imagine. Wilson viii
be in no danger If he gives his trust TO Mr.
Bryan; he might be in grave danger II he al
lowed to anyone to poison his mind against the
'Commoner We have faith that he mas tho
great a sense of justice and far TOO much
seomnon sense to- perslit that.-~-Raltim ore Sei