The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-04
THE SAWDuST FLIES
Mayor Johnson Of Ohio Is Saving
Wood at a Tremendous =.
Pace.
He Has Disposed of All His Stock in
Corporations and Is Out
for Game.
Ns.c York SUI, Special Service

Ne,c YORK; SUI, Special Sesvtce
Chicago, Sept. 4.-William E. Curtis, in
a Cleveland special to the RecordHerald,
convention makes Tom Johnson logical
and formidable candidate for the -presi
dency, and that is the summit of his am
bition. Mr. Whitney may continue to
assert that the democrats have no issue,
but they at least have a man. By in
dorsing the Bryan and the Kansas City
platform he has offered a bid for the
support Of the ,16 to 1 element and the
easy manner in which the convention
adopted the resolution illustrates the alb
solute authority which johnson now
Yields in the democratic party in Ohio. A
majority of the delegates who attended
the convention were present in a similar
capacity year ago and at that time re-
pudiated both Bryan and his presidential
platform, and the almost unanimous voice
Of the Ohio democracy pronounced him a
back NUMBER Approaching the situa-
ton and the fact that Bryan still holds 8
large faction of his party under allegiance,
Mr.. Johnson begins his presidential cam
paign by rendering him and them what
may be called a vote Of respect and
confidence.
AS the press dispatches have already
told you, there were only three dissent
ing voices in the committee on resolutions
and the opposition In the convention was
no greater in proportion. It has been GUS
tomary at Ohio conventions to appoint a
subcommittee to draft the platform, but
1t was not necessary to do so this time,
as Mr.. Johnson handed in a paper of his
own composition, which was accepted and
reported to the convention with murmurs
Of dissent from only three men, and with
out dotting an app or crossing a 1T. IS. :
Mr.. Johnson also named many candi-
dates upon the ticket. He made up the
slate before leaving Cleveland and passed
it around among the leading members Of
the convention in order that they might
be posted as to the duties which they were
expected to perform as we'll as the opin-
ions they were expected to express. There
was never a convention SO completely
| dominated by a boss, not even at the
| height of the 'absolutism'' Of the Gamer
on dynasty in Pennsylvania. or Of Conll-
ling or John Kelly in New York.
Mayor Johnson was the whole thing.
and he showed the tact and the ability
| to meet all the requirements. 1t is eX-
/ pected that his portrait will appear upon
| the democratic ballot. at the November
election, as 1t did upon those used at the
democratic primaries. :, >.
No one, so far as ascertain, has ever
been able to make Mayor Johnson talk
| about the presidency, When approached
the subject with him he protested ami
ably against discussing his own prospects
or possibilities, claiming that the repub-
lican papers had started boom for him
as a Joke That was all he was willing
to say, but his satellites don't hesitate
to discuss his intentions with. great free
dom, and half dozen of his closest adj
visers and lieutenants have declared with
in the last few days that he will - be
nominated in 1904 and Will go to the demo-
/ cratic national convention with solid
| Nit Ho1,s 1t WIZ
I they were reminded that Mr.. Johnson was
making light Of the subject they re-
| torted:
tom is all right. He amt saying a
word, but is sawin' wood just the same. =
And that describes the situation &C