Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-06
MIR. JOHNSON'S AMBITION
CLEVELAND MAYOR WANTS To R9,
UNITED STATES SENATOR.
Laying Plans to Build Up a Strong
Organization McLean's
Friends Alarmed
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star

special Dispatch TO The Evening Star
Cl.EN ELAND, Ohio, April 6.-Thts city
promises to be the scene of great politicaI
activity during the next eight months The
election of Tom L. johnson for mavor
means the democrats are going to make a
determined effort to send a solid delegation
TO the next legislature, which, in turn
means that the fight for the control of the
state legislature has already commenced.
flans are already being made here for the
selectioh OF good legislative ticket by the
lriehos OF Mr.. johnson. Cuyahoga county
will have fourteen representatives in the
coming general assembly. The machinery
OF the party has been so adjusted that this
delegation Will be controlled by Mr.. John
son. The next fight will be for the control
OF the assembly by Mr.. Johnson
1t is, of course, expected here as in other
quarters of the state, that John r. Mol can
VIII be candidate for the Senate TO on
pose Mr. Johnson, should the latter decide
10 run, winch, by the way, is still a matter
Whlch Is in question. Mr.. johnson will. of
course, make the fight for governor or for
the Senate. His friends argue that if he
should make the fight for governor and
should succeed he would carry the Iesisla-
ture as well. Mr.. johnson has NOT as Vet
reached this conclusion and is inclined to
make the fight for the Senate to succeed
Senator Foraker
MI. johnson, VINO is just starting in his
outles as mayor, is making no appoint
ments, but announces that ability must be
the criterion on which his assistants are
named. incidentally he is about to build up
an organization which Will make him a
great power in the state. This organization
VIII be used to oppose the machine which
John r. Mclean has constructed.
The talk of compromise with Mr. Nc
Lean which comes from some quarters OF
the state is regarded here as folly. Mr.
johnson Will not deal with him. but win
either crush him or be crushed himself. The
state VIII be redistricted next winter. and
the democrats have, therefore a specfal in
ducement to make a great fight this fall
In case they have the assignment of mark
ing up the state they will see to it that sew
eral republican congressman are retired and
that number of districts are made demo-
cratic. All this will have its effect on ma
tional politics. The preliminary plans of
Mr.. johnson are being made with the same
care as We're his business problems which
he so successfully executed. He is choosing
men slowly, but the politicians who have
long been attached to the democratic band
wagon here are to be cut Off He is doing
this work largely himself, depending very
little on his associates to help him. His
cabinet will not be chosen for ten days so
he announced this morning, and they will
be selected on the basis Of fitness
The republicans are talking of reorgantz-
ing their committee and forming in solid
front to meet the enemy. They are wor-
ried. and it is possible that after the smoke
of the present battle has cleared away that
the factions here will unite and prepare for
the fight which Is before them.