The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-08-12
Secretary BRYAN.
Rock Hill Herald.


people of this country are just now
focused upon Secretary Of State Will
liam ]. Bryan. Since he entered the
iCabinet of President Wilson, the en-
tire country has been watching Mr..
Bryan, which is but natural, in view
of his past record and experiences,
having been three times the candidate
of the democratic party for president
and being generally recognized as
one of the ablest men in the party
aid as the man having t. e l2rges.
personal political following among
the democratic leaders of the entire
country. At this time Secretary
Bryan's attitude toward Mexico and
the course the State department is
likely to take in dealing with the
Mexican problem is the question Of
most Importance and Of greatest in
terest to the public. The views of
the press in this connection are be-
ing freely made known, and some Of
them are worth more than passing
consideration The Herald finds an
editorial dealing with this subject in
the Greensboro, n c., Record, which
is more than ordinarily interesting.
1t is as follows:
'Next to President Wilson, the eyes
Of the world are upon Secretary
Bryan at this uime Men WHO have
heard the brilliant orator upon the
platform and have watched his spec
tacular career are observing with
minutest care his conduct in the first
executive position he has ever held.
This is evidenced by the great atten-
ton and notoriety that was given the
statement he recently made in North
Carolina to the effect that he had to
lecture to supplement his salary.
Such statement from the president
himself would not nave been more
generally noticed.
"Just at this time Secretary Bryan
has his hands full of the Mexican
situation, and his handling of this
delicate problem will be watched with
interest by both Americans an
foreigners. Before the Mexican pro-
blem is settled, there will be ques-
tions Of affecting Americans policy
with it's possessions, South America
and the Far East. If Secretary Bryan
does not handle these matters with
an approved show of executive ability,
it will mean his end politically. On
the other hand, if he masters them,
it will gain for him the confidence
of class that has heretofore distrust-
ed him and give him place in the
nation that scarcely any man in a
generation has held.
"The personality of the secretary
! has ever been attractive in the high
est; it has been his lack of admins
trative experience that caused people
to mistrust him. Scarcely known in
1896, by a single speech he won the
democratic nomination and polled the
largest vote a democrat has ever re-
ceived, over six and half million. or
more than 100000 more than Wilson
received last fall. In fact, each Of the
three times Bryan ran he received
more votes than Wilson IN 1912,
though Wilson was elected and Bryan
each time defeated Of that famous
Denver speech, Mr. Wilson says in
his history of the American people
it was wrought not of argument, but
of fire.
There are those of Bryan's friends
who feel very keenly sort of party
ingratitude that he was not nominal
ed at Baltimore, and thus would have
been crystalized the feeling that the
leadership that had been pillar OF
fire by night had become "a pillar OF
cloud by day Mr.. Bryan would no
doubt have been elected last fall II
nominated, and his friends say ne
would have received larger vote
than President Wilson He did re-
ceive a larger vote in each Of three
other campaigns and there were then
fewer voters, so that Mr. Bryans
percentage of the vote cast is much
better than ,Mr. Wilson's. Mr., Bryan
each time he ran received more than
As per cent of the popular vote, while
Mr.. Wilson got barely more than 4O
per cent, of the total vote last fall.
cit was said by Mr.. Bryan when the
accented the portfolio that he would
take it temporarily There is feeling
that he is playing part OF dellD-
crate political game. What his plan