The Savannah morning news., 1900-06-29
JENNINGS AIDED BY BRYAN.
kINsHIP WITH THE NEBRAskAN
HELPED THE FLORIDIAN.

Sure YEinncr-POIiticaI Gossip.
Tallahassee. Fla. June 2s.-The nomlna-
ton OF Judge William :. jennings Of
Brooksville to be the Democratic candi-
date for Governor of Florida, by the
state Convention in Jacksonville last Fri
day night, is regarded by many shrew1
observers as meaning, among other
things that the Florida Democracy wish
ed to prove that it is in thorough ana alb
solute accord with Judge Jennings dis
t.nguished cousin Hon. William Jennings
Bryan. Of Nebraska.
Until within the ,ast six months it had
been frequently esser ed and widely pub
lished that the Florida Democrats would
be in favor OF side,racking Mr.. Eryan
and free silver this year and II seems 10
be certain that some of the bC-t known
of the state leaders have until very re
Gently been OF the opinion that the
chances for party victory in the nation
would be much improved with different
leader and more conservative platform
That the masses Of Florida Democrats are
enthusiastic for Bryan and the reafiirma-
tion Of the Chicago platform this year
State Convention.
Last Feb uary Col Bryan spent several
days with Judge Jennings at the latter s
Brooksv lie home. The idea that the visit
had snyth pg TO do with Jennings guber-
ma orial candidacy, was Loudly pooh-pooh-
ed at the time. but it was the sense Of
the several thousand Democrats who at
tended the Jacksonville Convention last
week that whe her intentionally or not
that visit had resulted v ~ bene icially.
indeed, fer the Broo' rsville man. 1t seems
TO be fact, gsne ally admitted a the
jacksonville GATHERING thar until Judge
Jennings had the pleasure Of entertaining
his Nebraska cousin. he held. in the est-
nation Of both the leaders, and the
masses, next TO the tail-end position in
the gubernatorisl race. His Advance after
that time was steady, and during the las
month it was rapid.
Jennings WIFI Win.
If Mr.. Bryan were as sure Of being the
next President OF the United states as
Mr.. Jennings is OF being the mex Cover
nor of Florida. there would be 70 necessl-
~ for a national campaign of 1900. Pres
ent indicatons.are that Jennings wi have
no opposition whatever 1t is fact hat
about 90 per cent. of the white people in
Florida vote the Democratic state tickets,
and most of the negroes quit VoHrg in
from Northern states who have for sew
eral years controlled the Florida Rep1b.i-
can organization could If they tried. form
the large negro population into formid-
able Republican opposition, but they Y i'll
laugh and tell one: BLESS your soul. my
dear fellow we are not in the business TO
do anything OF that sort We are ing
very well, thank you, without the tremen-
dous annoyance and expense which gem
eral negro voting would bring 10 US. Any
way, they are more contcnted out of pol
itics, and you know II has ever been The
policy of the great Republican party TO
have a care for the wel-bsing Of the col
ored man" Meaning, OF course that they
do not want the negroes as connecting fac
tors IN the distribution of Federal pie.
The Republicans have named no ttate
ticket and Il is not believed tna they
care to or will do so. There is no Popu.ist
organization IN florida and IL is said that
there are not enough Popul'sts in the state
80 form an anization-certainly not one
which would be the least bit dangerous.
In a word. judge jennings as candidate
for Governor has. and will have, no oppo-
siticn worth Sc ious c"rsi e att n. if any
at all. He will be Florida's next Gov
ernor beyond a doubt.
The Nominees Record.
II would be entirely erroneous to sup
nose. however that Judge Jennings Sc
cured the guberna torial nomination solely
or even chiefly. because ne is trst cousin
OF the man who. F1oride Democrats are
confident, will be the next President. Al
though only 81 years old now. Jennings
was big man in Florida politics several
years before Mr.. Bryan became national
leader He came to Florida from his ma
tive state of Illinois fourteen years ago
and at the age of % years, was admitted
to the bar In Brooksville. As a lawyer
and political leader, he has since risen
very rapidly. In his own county he was
successfully Circuit Court Commissioner
county judge, alderman, president of the
Town Council, and chairman of the Board
of School Trustees. In 1898, he was sent
TO the Legislature and the prominent part
he then played gave him a reputation over
the state. When his county returned hin
TO the House In 1895, he was elected Speak
er. and his mastery conduct in the chair
gained for him the title OF the Mode
Speaker" In 1896. he was a presidential
elector. and two years later he was chair
man OF the Democratic State Convention.
Il can readily be seen that Judge Jen-
nings is known 10 Florida Democrats In
other capacities than as Mr. Bryan
cousin. But more should be said. For
she first time on record, aspirants for the
Democratic gubernatorial nomina ton III
Florida made personal canvass over
fns state before the convention mel, hunt-
ing votes. Nobody has criticized them for
this innovation, because each of them pro-
ceeded In such clean. honorable way as
10 repel criticism. II became apparent q
couple OF months ago. that Judge Jennings
was proving the best canvasser. Digni-
fed yet very genial, he seemed TO possess
more than any of his competitors that
kind of magnetism which brought him
very close TO the hearts OF the people and
made all OF them his friends. He went
everywhere-from Pensacola to Key West
from Miami to Fernandina-and he saw
practically everybody who had political
influence. Hence. while for local or other
reasons. many Of the counties voted on
the early ballots for favorites, other than
Mr.. Jennings he was the general second
choice, and when the deadlock came, i,
was soon apparent that he would finally be
selected.
There are three special reasons why
Judge Jennings should feel proud of tho
honor which has come 70 him. First, ali
Of his competitors we're native-born Flor
iclans, whereas he came from the distant
Northern state Of Illinois, second. he Is
10 succeed Gov william y. Bloxham. ad-
mittedly the most distinguished and best
beloved man Florida has yet produced
who, by constitutional prohibition. cannot
succeed himself; and, third he won in a
competition with four others, each OF
whom has all along been recognized as
talented. strong politically, and eminently