The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-18
Villas SEES A RAY
Good Chances, He Says, for Demo-
cratic Success in Wisconsin.
ONE IMPORTANT "IF" INVOLVED
He Has Been Taken Back by the
Party and Will Enter the
Campaign.
Special to The Journal.

special TO Inc JOuTndl.
Madison, Wis. Aug. 1S.-For tae flrst
time since his re-entry into the regular"
democratic organization, former Senator
William F. Villas to-day consented to an
interview. The senator was pressed to let
the public know his views on the state
situation, particularly with respect to the
ticket which he will help to nominate, and
on the chances for democratic success IN
November. He said:
The proposition that has struck me most
forcibly is this: Can the democratic party IN
Wisconsin be reinstated, approximately, to
the position it occupied in 1851 mean as TO
its grasp Of forces that made 1t q cohesive
working body in that year,? l might refer to
the year 1890, also, as an example Of party
cohesivenuess, but the fact or the overwhelm-
ing democratic victory in the latter year
might confound a person regarding the point
/ wish to make. The foundation Tor the
democratic victory of 1890 was laid in 1883.
when the party had a thorough grasp on all
its forces. Without the peculiar Issues OF
1880, the party would, IN that year, nave
made tremendous fight
II 1t Is possible to bring about the sap-
proximate reinstatement of the forces TO
which have alluded, then, think that, with
the dsccrdant elements existing within the
republican party, the chances for democratic
success this year are good
Asked if he would participate actively
Undoubtedly I will do what l can. My
business affairs keep me actively engaged,
but such time as I can give to campaign
work will give cheerfully! 1 have not as
yet considered the subject in detail, but
if the party in Wisconsin takes the attt-
tude l hope it will, 1t will have my best
wishes for success and all the help l am
able to extend
In speaking of the approximate rein
statement of forces" there is no doubt
that Mr. Villas had in mind more than
the harmonizing of the two wings OF the
democracy as they have existed for the
past six years-the silver democrats who
supported Bryan and kept up what was
called the REGULAR organization, and
gold democrats who formed an organlza-
tion of their own. Other factors must be
taken into consideration in the matter of
Reinstatement of forces and these are
two in number: First, there are those
democrats who seeded outright in 1895
and, according to their former brethren,
became republicans with the intent OF
furthering their political fortunes. Sec
ond, there are those who voted for La
Toilette for governor two years ago, yet
continue to call themselves democrats 1t
will be seen that the task ahead Of those
who are hopeful of consolidating all these
factions into one homogeneous whole will
call for a tremendous amount OF hnesse,
both in the matter of making nominations
and formulating platform.
There is no question that the leaders
Of the party are straining every nerve
to bring about the harmony of which Mr..
Villas speaks and there are signs that
point toward the success of their endeav-
ors. The old-time leaders are returning
to the councils of the party, and with one
exception, all the gubel material timber
offered comes from old stock, seasoned by
years of campaigning. The list includes
at present such old democrats as Burr
w. Jones, E. G. Wall, former Governor
George w. Peck. Neal Brown, j. E. Jones
and DR.. Wendall A. Anderson all OF whom
have proved their right to stand high in
the councils Of the party by long and un-
. deviating adherence to democratic prin-
ciples.
Against these older men stands Mayor
Rose. He belongs to the new men. -
Whether he will be nominated Is hotly
debated question. If he wins out, it will
be at the end of a bitterly contested fight
One month ago, everything was coming
his way. Now ne has to work for every
thing he gets. Men who are in position
to know assert that he cannot be nomi-
mated.