The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1912-05-30
NOT BRYAN, BUT WILSON,.

Assuming that the Republican had
especially in mind Mr.. Bryan, when il
said that the Democrats must have
candidate radical enough to hold the
radical wing of the Democratic party
to the last man." in case Mr.. Roosevelt
should capture the Republican nomi.
nation, the Hartford Times protests
against another Bryan campaign. 1t
holds the view that Roosevelt should
be opposed by Democratic conserva-
tive.
We adhere to the view already ex-
pressed, although it would not be nee
essary to nominate Mr.. Bryan in or
der to hold the radical wing of the
Democratic party. Gov. Wilson is
qualified to meet such an emergency.
If Gov. Wilson were nominated at
Baltimore he would be sure of Mr..
Bryan's sincere and whole-hearted
support. He would be able to hold
the radical wing of the Democratic
party to the support of the Democrat
ic ticket. There would be no repeti-
ton of the Parker campaign of 1904,
when a million Bryan Democrats, it
was estimated, voted for Roosevelt or
stayed away from the polls.
1t is not necessary to "outpoint"
Roosevelt in an appeal to the discon-
tented voters of the country. But it
is necessary for the Democratic party,
If it is to win against him, to keep it's
own radicals in the fold. Gov. Wilson
could do it. He is owned by no boss
He stands for the peoples rule" He
is controlled by no interest" He is
at swords points with wall street"
He is sufficiently progressive to make
ridiculous a charge that the "reac-
tionaries" could enfeeble his good in
tentions. Even La Toilette, estranged
from Roosevelt, could support him.
But, at the same time, Gov. Wilson
could be presented as a foil to Mr..
Roosevelt's most blatant excuses. He
has always opposed the recall of
judges and the recall of decisions: he
could make mincemeat of the colonel's
new nationalism; he could stand for
a certain wise CUSTOM" while the |
colonel was standing for three presi- |
dental terms, with a fourth and fifth |
in prospect. On the tariff issue, he
could eat the colonel alive. AS a cam
paigner, no other Democrat could sur |
pass him in the intellectual clarity, pre- |
cision and effectiveness of his spoken |
appeal. AS a forensic antagonist, he
is kind such as the colonel has new |
er encountered.
GOV. Wilson presents an extraordi- |
nary opportunity for the two wings of |
the Decorate party to unite on a bas-
is that shall make the party an efficient
instrument for social and political |
on truly democratic lines
and an Incompatible defense of the
republic against a Rooseveltian dy-
nasty. The Democratic attacks on
him because of his attitude toward
the initiative and referendum in the
several states seem petty in the ex-
IRENE. We regard him, on the whole
as a fresh, inyigorating and entirely
sane influence in the Democratic par
~, and the political situation is appar
emily shaping itself in a way to make
mis- merits as candidate so conspicu-
'us that one must marvel at the wit
ess prejudice against him which DEM
'crats here and there have allowed
themselves to entertain.
Have conservative Democrats
bought of this-that if they don't
AXE Wilson, Bryan may be forced
lpon them? If they destroy Wilson,
What shall it profit them Spring
leld (Mass.) Republican.