The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-06
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES.


The recent municipal elections brought
into greater prominence than they had
before enjoyed two Democrats who are
likely to be important factors in the pres
idential campaign of 1904. These men are
Tom L. johnson who was elected mayor
of the Republican city of Cleveland, o.,
and Carter Harrison, who was reelected
mayor of Chicago. 1t will be recalled
that Mr.. Mckinley carried Chicago by
a majority OF 1900. Mr.. Harrison's ma
jority was about 10000
Mr.. johnson is ambitious to be the next
presidential nominee of the Democratic
party and it is not improbable that Mr..
Harrison would like to have the same
honor However, the latter is not men
toned for the presidential nomination of
his party. His name is associated with
the nomination for oe-president. Sen
ator Bailey of Texas, the day after the
municipal election in Chicago. predicted
that Mr. Harrison would be the Demo-
cratic nominee for vice-president in 1904.
Mr.. Johnson has much in his favor as
a candidate for the presidential nomina-
popular. 1t is true that he is a sound
money man, but he has managed to keep
on good terms with Mr.. Bryan and other
party leaders who favor the free coinage
of silver. When he was nominated for
mayor of Cleveland he received a letter
from Mr.. Bryan wishing him success. In,
fact, all through the last presidential
I'D
were warm friends. If Mr.. johnson were
to be the presidential nominee of his
party the platform would be somewhat
different no doubt from that on which Mr..
Bryan stood. He is a single-taxer, an
advocate of municipal ownership of pub
lie utilities and of a three-cent car fare.
He has therefore a platform of his own.
And it is a popular platform, judging
from the vote he received for mayor of
Cleveland That city is a Republican
stronghold. 1t elected a Republican coun-
Gil and a Republican school board at the
same time that it gave him. Demo
crat, a majority of 5000 The Republican
papers of Ohio admit that he has a strong
hold on the masses, and they are specu-
hating as to what his future will be In
the field of politics. 1t is admitted that
he is a man of great ability and 1t is
known that he is ambitious for greater
political honors.
His friends are pointing out that he
can depend upon help from the South be-
cause he is a Southerner by birth, being
a member of one of the most distinguish
ed families of the Blue Grass section OF
Kentucky. He is so partial to the South
that when his daughter was ready to be
introduced into society he arranged to
have that interesting event take place in
Louisville, Ky. There appears therefore
to be much in his favor as a candidate
for the presidential nomination of his
party. Carter Harrison is also vote get
ter. He is probably the most popular
Democrat in Illinois. Mr.. Altgeld tried
to defeat him for mayor, but his speeches
made no impression upon the public. In
fact, they only served to further empha-
size the fact that Mr.. Altgeld is a politi-
cal dead duck.
OF course there is no assurance Of any
kind that the presidential ticket of the
Democratic party in 1904 will be Johnson
and Harrison. but there is no doubt that
in political circles the names of these two
men are just now receiving a great deal
of attention in connection with the next
presidential campaign.