Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-27
DEMOCRATS IN SOUTH
Looking for a Presidential
Candidate.
NEW Y0RK'S FAILURE
CAUSES A RECAST OF POLITICAL
SENTIMENT.
Expected Judge Parker to Redeem
Empire State - Now Inquiring
Why He Was Not Nominated.

With the arrival in the city of southern
senators and representatives there is heard
a renewal of presidential gossip in demo-
cratic circles Events have occurred since
the democratic politicians left Washington
last summer which have changed the as
pect of things and will cause a recasting Of
political lines.
When the southern democrats trooped
homeward at the end of the last session of
Congress there was pretty general under
standing of the national political situation
ihroush the efforts mainly of southern
senators. backed up by their colleagues In
the House, crystallzation Of sentiment
adverse to William Jennings Bryan as a
prospective presidential candidate has been
brought about All through the winter and
spring the anti-Bryan leaven had been
working among the men, who. by custom
prevailing in the south, are the leaders Of
political thought in their section.
1t was designed that the seeds of dissatis-
tacuon with Bryan should be sown broad
cast among the southern democracy by
these returning statesmen. and that the
minds of the people should be prepared to
consider some other candidate.
New York's Failure.
Some Of the southern leaders had talked
with their party brethren in New York
about concert of action between eastern
and southern democrats against the popu-
listic element of the western wing of the
party. They learned that the New York
democrats were hopeful of electing a gov
ernor this fall thereby overturning q re-
publican majority of 1l7,0OO and presaging
a complete reversal OF political sentiment
In the east. They came pretty near doing
it. However, as is said in the south, "A
miss is as good as mile They did not
deliver the goods.
At the time those talks were going on the
general supposition in New York that
Judge Alton b. Parker would be the demo-
cratic nominee for governor. The SOUTH
ernerS We're sounded upon his possible fu-
ture prospects in case he should carry New
York state. Would he be acceptable as a
presidential candidate? The answer was
affirmative. Judge Parker had not bolted
the democratic party in 1896 or 1909 and his
record was clean in all respects. If he
could wrest New York state from the re-
publicans he would be entirely acceptable
to the SOutherners.
back from New York last winter there was
a sudden booming of Judge Parker. In the
lobbies of the Capitol and of hotels the
gossips We're free with his name. To the
few to whom 1t was unfamiliar and who
asked who is this man Parker" the an
swer was pat and ready and in all cases
probably proved satisfactory
The Judge Parker Boom.
After the return of the solons to their
homes. echoes of the Parker boom in the
south came north again. The political
CORRESPONDENTS. quick to feel the pubic
pulse. began to write north of a growing
sentiment for Parker for the presidential
nomination. That encouraged the New
York democrats. and the rank and file of
the delegates to the state convention went
to Saratoga ready to nominate Judge Park
er with swing, If such was the word
from the managers.
But there was a slip somewhere in the
program Mr.. Hill declares that he did not
cause it. Judge Parkers friends vow that
the judge was not responsible Anyhow.
the judge not nominated and the man
who was nominated did not carry the state,
while the fact remains that all democrats
and many republicans believe Judge Parker
would have defeated Governor Odel If he
had been nominated.
Now, the southern senators and repre-
sentatives, the spokesmen of political SEN
tment in their section, asking ques-
tions about the New York deal. They say
they fixed everything all right in the south,
and that the southern democrats are for
Parker, but how they are to explain to
their people the turning down" of Judge
Parker in his own state?
Allegations of Skullduggery.
The impression seems to be general
among them that the failure to nominate
Judge Parker was a piece of New York
political skullduggery, and there is a dis
position to resent it. There is no question
that the reaction is In Judge Parkers fa-
vor and that today he is stronger in the
south than ever.
Some Of the southern politicians declare
that Mr.. Hill is done for in the south,
and, of course, is impossible in the west:
that Mr.. German is popular in the south
ever, where he always has been well
liked, but that there would be danger OF
the west cutting him. Therefore, that a
man such Judge Parker must inevitably
come forward to unite the factions.
Parker incident at Saratoga" as one Of
them expressed it. 1--WE must find out who
has the knife in his boot leg before we
bunk in with the New York democrats for