Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-12-12
DIsPos1NG OF BRYAN
The Qu~stion OF Where lie Would
Least Mischirr n Problem.

D'rom New York Times, mat DEM
The possibility Of MIR. Bryan bccuini
member or the cabinet must be GO
sidercd not only from the point oc viz,
of those who oppose him. but from ~
point of view of those vino believe T.
him, who are ready at all times to ~
low him, tho real Bryan men. 1t is
bc considered, also. from the point 70
Wow of Mr. Wilson, who will have
deal with Mr.. Bryan and with his fol
lowing There need be no Illusions abou
Mr.. Bryan. II" wanted tho Bsltimol
nomination for himself. 1t was only IT.
force OF circumstances that made hin
the supporter of Mr.. Wilson. II Is believe
that he wants the nomination in 1916. am
Is laying his plans to secure it, His WI
Of dealing with those who arc obsthclc
in his path is we'll known. He atack'd
Mr.. Harmon, he alta cked Mr.. Underwood
most unjustly and upon false grounds. u
Turned against Speaker Clarke, In a cri,
cal moment. ut Baltimore. Suppose h,
left out of the cabinet. What Will he Il"
Reasoning from the chara ctcr and aInli
ton Of tho man and from his past pra.
,lces, NO are forced to the conclusion the
ne would he hostile to the Wilson admin
istration, that he would use his infuenr'
to obstruct It's work and thwart its pol
cies. Ho would build w among his 70
lowing AT anti-administration party. an
| In many States OF the Union he has a iarp
following. That Is the condition tina
would confront the new administra ito,
| II Mr.. Bryan were left out Of tho cal
; met
Taken into the cabinet. MIR Brya
would not b" in a position to do az
! great harm to the Wilson administra
| ton Tho primary obligation Of loyal
| to his chief would tie his hands. /
would be under daily observation. ali
ne could not very well undertake e.
! wrecl. an administration of which he WI
responsible part. Many men who loo
! at tho problem from the point of viey
| Of politics and tactics are inclined t.
tho belief that appointment to cab
| met office would be a iirst-rate way t.
, chlorotorin Nj. Bryan. Moreover tn
! Ncbraskan would In the presidents cab
| met come to test to which he ha
never been submitted, a real test OF hi
ability Men who have studied his oaree
with attentive but with candid mind
|
capacity, far below that of the avera z
of our presidents cabinets In tina
| council room he would be weighed an
in All human probability he would b
! found wanting. The country wou
speedily know. 1t could not help knowing
how far he fell short of the estimate h
! puts upon himself. and which his follow
ers put upon him. Thus, In another way
Mr.. Bryan would be a diminished lgur,
. These are the considera tons by whic
some men, accustomed to think in term
of politics. would justify, or palliate. III
naming of Mr. Bryan to secretaryshir
For ourselves, we do not believe tina
Mr. Bryan could do the administrator
any serious harm If he remained out
! side the cabinet. II the country's hope
of Mr.. Wilson are fulfilled. II his ad
| ministration Is successful. II he becomes
| as he promises to become, a really grea
president. he would win the con1denc
and the support and the hearts OF tn
American people. What could the pun
intrigues Of Mr.. Bryan avail agains
him" Nothing. Moreover. Mr.. Wiso
, will need strong men in his cabinet, an
Mr.. Bryan is a weak man. The counse
that ne has given TO the American PEG
pie IN the last I6 years has been unsoun
and unsafe: 1t has Been rejected. Whs
possible ground is there for believing tina
his counsel at the cabinet table would h
sage and helpful This l. not the wa
the party tacticians argue. but We ar
sure that these are the sentiments OF Nj
Wilson'S sincere well-wishers and Of thos
who hope for the success of his admin
stration,