Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-11-05
Bitin: the Hand That Feeds Him

He place OF Woodrow Wilson in his
tory IS liked. Nothing that can happen
now, no party defeat, no cnvenomed per-
sonai assault, can add to or subtract from
the measure Of greatness with which the
future will regard him. That place he has
won through a dominant leadership, which
even the shores of his own country could
not coniine. Whether or not there be a
league OF nations, his fame is secure If
there is he will have been the genius who
inspired IT, IL there is not, and another
great war comes, as some time it will, n
world will believe that league, his league
would have prevented II. lie has made
mistakes, many Of them. and grave ones,
but that will not alter posterty's verdict on
the man
William j. Byyans place in the pages
that Will record this tumutuous era in the
nations life also is fixed. He has chosen
the place wherein he will stand. While
Wilson, the President whom he has made
the object OF his bitter, disgrunlled attack,
Will survive down to the uttermoSt lengths
of time, Bryan. TOO, Will be rcmcm bcrcd as
the man who led the Democratic party down
TO three overwhelming defeats who profitcd
by this leadership to enrich his own per-
scnal Golfers who, in the most important
campaign it had ever waged remained
siolidIy and suikngly silent; who opened
his lips only when the fight was over and
then to denouncc the partys stricken Presi-
dent, TO beliitle ia standard bearer who
emerged the loscr after gallant battle
and TO tear down the political structure on
~Rhich lie himself had risen to fame and
fortune Seldom if ever has there been
such an illustration OF biting the hand from
+ which one has just been fed
The country generally will feel a sense
of disappointment over this new phase of
the Bryan character, over this revelation
OF his nngratefulncss. Even outside his
party he had won respect for his opinions
Ia his party he had tremendous follow
I ing, despite the fact that he never led il
except 10 disaster, and at lis door must
! be laid responsibility for Tuesdays Demo
cratic debacle in lar greater measure than
at the door Of either OF the men whom he
ACCUSES. Step by step with his party as a
q ladder, he rose 10 leadership that few men
B hare equaled and personal fortune re-
4 puted FAR greater than many men attain
& Now. because he could not have his way
! IN the san francisco convention, because OF
4 his intense personal dislike of Wilson and
perhaps because he was not chosen to head
the ticket fourth time, he stabs the party
s7that made him, ahcnatcs his followers who
3 prefer 10 remain Democrats rather than to
beeonly Bryanites, and for!cits the respect
+ of millons who despisc ingratitude
e4 Perhaps the Democratic party mus, nm
dergo reorganization. II that he ,run =,
will come about in due political course
& naturally and logically, as sometimes han
Il pens 10 every great party But Mr. BRYAN
Will not be one OF The reorcanizcrs. Nor
can new party take its place. And ~
!. there be q new party it is not certain that
i Democracy would not be strengthened in
1.-THE event ifat the Commoner seeks its more
4 congenia! ranks and leaves forever the ar
y ganiaaiion that after milling ii dry. he
Is seeks 10 destroy.