The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-20
BOOM FOR STEVENSON
WALTER wELLMAN FINDS HIM FAVORED FOR PRESIDENT.
Considered . Safe Man, Belief That He Would Be Able to Unite the Hostile Democratic
 FactioEs.

Democratic circles here It Is not my business to boom any one for President but to report the political gossip as ina t. and since coming to New York have have that MT. Stevenson would make an fdeai candidate for the Democracy next year. as it was stated to me by a well kn4Wn Democrat who has retired from pupnc life. wherein he once held most import ant station, runs as follows:
 What the Democratic party needs next year above all things is nominee on whom both wings of the party can unite It is useless to talk about beating as pop ular a man as President Rooseveit wI.n divided Democracy. The trouble Is that onjections are raised by one wing or the other to every man so far named. ihe Eastern Democracy does not want man of the Bryan stamp. The Bryanltes VII not support a man who comes rom tne Cleveland faction. Judge Parker Is per ha,,x inc 1cast objectionabie man so far proposed, but he is regarded by Western Dennocrats as wearing the collar of Da- yid B. Hill, and that is enough to damn him in their eyes.
 Adlaf Stevenson, so the argument runs. would be satisfactory to both wings of ths party. No Democrat could find any reason for refusing to support him. MT. Steyenson ran for Vice. President on the Cleveland ticket in 1892 and was elected. He ran on the Bryan ticket in 1900 and 0efeateQ. now been sent to the rear. and is no long, CT an issue but If this argument should be raised against MT. Stevenson. his ad- mirers dec,ere he is sound on the money question; that he went through the lsoo campaign without saying a word for free silver. It is well known that he was put on the ticket to temper, if possible, the Bryan radicaiism and to hold the support of the old-line Democrats. Hence the claim Is made ti11 neither the Bryan peo- pie nor the Cleveland people would have any occasion to sHlk in their tents or shy stones if Stevenson were nominated. His selection, they say. would put an end 10 factions and restore harmony to the Democracy. All men who call them selves Democrats, whether of the Cleve- land wing or the Western followers ot Bryan, could give him their support.
 The further claim is made for MT. Stev- enson thnt he could command the conh- dence and support of the business classes In character and temperament he is pro nonnced cautious, safe man. He would stand out in contrast to the Republican candidate. On this score man wne knows Mir. Stevenson very well said to me:
 "Mr- Stevenson is an old-fashioned pub lie man. He does not believe in gov ernment that .s coo personal. too ener- getic. too vigorous. If elected he would adhere to the old traditions. Instead or trying to run the whole government him self and to preach to and lecture the people besides, he would call around him a cabinet of eminent men, tell them he did not aspire to be the whole show ana that they must go in and give the coun- try a conservative, safe administrator. This would command the respect or the business world. They would have no fear that their President might involve the country in foreign war.
 If you go about here in New York and fin the East you wsall find yasgreat deal of anxiety lest MT. RoSseveltAas soon as he has won thS presidency In his own rish'' plunge the country into conflict with some other nation. Stories concerning this ten dency of his come up from Washington and plenty of people believe as soon as the next Presidential election is out of the way and Mir. Roosevelt has reached the summit Of his ambition, his Napol- comic love for military prowess will come to the front as a dangerous factor in the worlds affairs.
 ''The best possible antidote for this, continued the Democrat whom am quot ing would be the old-faShioned conser' vatism of man like MT, Stevenson. The same thing would occur as to the labor unrest. You have no idea how much talk there is in business circles everywhere in the country to the effect that MT Roosevelt is directly responsible for the present labor situation. Almost every business man you meet says the Presi- dent encouraged the labor people to be- lieve they could get everything they want ed by interfering in the coal strike in Pcnnsyivaria. Mrz Stevenson Is con servative on the laysAr question At the same time. as an employer of coal miners himself he has won the friendship of his men He has never had strike in his mines and his firm has several times advanced wages.
 This Democrat proceeded to add that Mir. Stevenson is a safe and conservative man without being absolutely colorless He has record of public service. He was elected a Democratic Representative ir Congress in a Republican district; he wat elected Vice-President of the United States on a ticket which carried the States of Illinois and Wisconsin and came very near to carrying Ohio. As Vice-Presi dent he showed himself man of dignity and high character. and won the con fidence of men of both parties. So far al age is concerned. he is not too old. He ii 7 and in robust health. He is only year or two Mir. Cleveland's senior.
 If Mr. Stevenson should be nomina ted" added my enthusiastic Democrati friend. The would give tho Democrat hope of carrying Illinois. They reall! have a better chance of carrying Illinoi than they have of carrying Indiana. H would too, be stronger candidate il New York than Judge Parker or any maj from New York. He would not be in volved in any of the factional duarrels fl this State. His name Is known to ever, Democrat. and he would not have to b introduced to the country He coul, unite the party and give the Democrac, A fighting chance to win the Presidenc by carrying New York, New Jersey, Con necticut and Illinois or some other west ern State with the South. If the Demo crats of Illinois want to name the can didate for President next year let then get together and present Adlai Steven sons name to the national convention
 Tn conversation with number of Ne' York Democrats I mention this sugges ton of Mir. Stevenson as the man wh could unite the party and perform tn almost miraculous feat of making tn two wings lap together, and 1t was we received A man who has talked wit Colonel Dan Lamont said the former Sec retary of War made the comment that WAS A most admirable idea. He is als
 7g mat inasmuch as tn nopoipati of Mir Cleveland seemed i'm Dossible Adlai Stevenson was the neN beet candidate Several New York Demo crots admitted that a candidate from tn west would run better in the Empir State than any New Yorker. This is tn