The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-04
HAVE TROUBLE, TOO ! \ /
Not All Plain Sailing for Democrats
Of Wisconsin. s,z
BRYAN1TES ARE AFTER MR.. Villas
Rose Is Unpopular Away From Home
~ and the Party Papers OPP
s. pose Him.

Special to The Journal +
Milwaukee, Wis, Aug. As the time
for holding the caucuses to choose dele
gates to the democratic state convention
draws near it begins to be apparent that
all is not harmonious in the party, and
there are Indications that the factional
fight which made the recent republican
convention memorable will be duplicated
before the ticket Is nominated. The men
who went down to defeat with Bryan in
1896 and 1900 are not yet ready to give
up their adherence to the principles for
which they fought, and they will decline
to purchase party unity at the price sug-
gested by former President Cleveland, viz,
surrender to the gold democrats.
For some months past the party lead
ers have been cherishing the hope that
past differences were to be relegated to
the background this year, and that there
would be complete unity Of sentiment and
action If this could only be brought
about 1t was the concensus that the demo-
Gratis stood chance, even though small
one, of carrying the state.
The publication of former Senator Villas
letter to the chairman Of the state CEN
trail committee was the signal for the
uprising among the men who still look
upon Mr.. Bryan as their national leader.
Immediately there was a great activity
among Mr.. Bryan's, followers, some OF
whom professed to see in Mr.. Villas COM
munication an adroitly yelled bid for the
gubernatorial nomination for himself.
There is no gainsaying the fact that they
were angry, and the chairman was piled
with questions which were not wholly i'm
pertinent. why" he was asked "is this
man, who repudiated both the Chicago and
Kansas City platforms, and threw the
| whole weight of his influence among the
democrats of Wisconsin against the elec-
t1on of the nominees of both. these con-
ventions, consulted in regard to the COM
ing campaign? Is it the purpose of the
committee to place him and those he rep
| resents at the helm this year, and leave
! those who have stayed with the party and
fought its battles on the outside? Does
| 1t mean that we must, accept the: dem
ocracy of Grover Cleveland or be read out
Of the party henceforth? Or are we ex-
pected to come back, hats in hand, hum
bly, acknowledging that we have gone
astray and begging for forgiveness?"
1t is needless to say that this faction
will not accept Mr.. Villas, nor any other
gold democrat, as leader.
Senator Villas would not accep,
the nomination If it were handed him on q
gold platter. He has had all the honors
the party can confer on him and he Is
willing to step aside and give the younger
men their chance. He has a candidate FOL
governor, however, and Is actively at worl
to- land the place for him. He is Burr w
/
mored his name is presented to the con
vention by the senator, he will be re.
garded as standing for everything that II
hateful to the Bryan men and is likely t<
receive scant consideration at their hands
Mayor Rose Is losing ground daily. A
q conference Of leading democrats in thi
city day or two ago his candidacy, wa.
carefully considered, the result being
| practically unanimous decision that b.
would not do. 1t was admitted that b.
would poll larger number of votes il
the City of Milwaukee. than anyone els
who could be named. but 1t was also tn
opinion that he would not run at all vel
In the country, and that almost any o
the other men who have been mentione
would poll from 10000 to- so, 900 NOR
votes outside the city than he could hop
to do. - .-
Moreover, Rose would have the opposi
J. tior Of every democratic paperTin Milwau
kee. At the meeting of the state com
mittee at Waukesha, Editor Hoyt of tn
Milwaukee Daily News, the only thick an
thin democratic daily in the city, wa
present and told the members of i tha
body he would oppose Rose even If b
were nominated, at any cost. The Jour
nal, which at first was inclined to loo
favorably on the, mayors candidacy, ha
also changed front and is against him.