The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-02
Southern and Southwestern Democrats

Southern and Southwestern Democrats
 of the Bryan school
 It was immediately after MT. Shepard .
 return to New York that Western and Southern newspapers began to discuss seriously his candidacy for President. The discussion was carried into the East, and was carried on with considerable fer Vor by the Bryan adherents of New Eng land. In New York Mir Shepard's prom thence in Presidential discussions placed
 him among the possibilities for the Demo- cratic nomination for Governor. MT. Hills opposition defeated his nomination;
 but it in no sense weakened him in the eyes of Bryan or the Bryan Democrats, who approved him as Presidential tim Der.
 Democratic slate-makers of the Bryan persuasion have gone so far as to say that the next Presidential ticket is likely
 to be made up of Mir. Shepard from New York and Col. William A. Gaston of Mas sachusetts. Colonel Gaston was the last
 Democratic candidate for Governor of
 Massachusetts and is a personal friend of MT. Shepard.
 Chief Judge Alton B. Parker of the New York Court of Appeals is conspicuously on the list of Presidential possibilities,
 The Kingston jurist has been undergoing measurement at the hands of the politic- fans in that connection for about a year. New York Democrats, with the approval of leaders elsewhere, urged him to be- come the candidate for Governor with the expectation of making him. in the event of his success. the Presidential candidate.
 The Democratic State Convention stood ready to nominate him, but was prevent ed by Mir. Hill. That circumstance has admittedly altered Judge Parker's status
 as candidate for the Presidency; but
 his friends maintain that 1t has not dimin- ished his availability.
 Judge Parker's eminence on the bench
 Is held by his friends to entitle him to first consideration as a Presidential can didate. The politicians. who are accus- r,sasl fA Rar1uE IA.
 getting qualities in their candidates, add
 the, argument that he has never been de- feated at the polls. though a candidate for Judicial office many times, and often before normally Republican constituences His campaign for Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals in 1897 Is referred to as evidence of his ability to carry the State of New York In 1s96 Bryan was defeated in New York by 265 900; in 1897 Parker carried the State by so, 0Oo Par ker's advocates assert that as a candidate for Governor or President he would swing New York again into the Democratic co.'s umn.
 Whether Parker or Shepard can secure the support of the New York delegation to the National Convention is an open question. The machinery of the State Democratic organization Is at the moment in the hands of Mir. Hill. All Democrats agree that If Mir. Hill retains control until the Presidential convention, he will cause his own partisans to be elected uelegateS ana be In position to defeat either Parker or Shepard It is asserted as matter of fact that Hill intends to side-track Parker at the proper time by advancing the proposition that fin declin- ing to become an open candidate for Gov ernor. Parker also declined to consider a candidate for the Presidency, thus leaving the field open to Hill. It is moi believed that Hill would consent under any circumstances to the nomination of Shepard, whose advance in State politics he has consistently opposed
 Several influential enemies in the State ste nd ready to contest MT. Hilrs futlre domination of the Democratic party These men are now beginning to compare Parker and Shepard on points of avail ability, for the purpose of selecting the stronger as Iilrs opponent.
 MT. Htlfs plans are believed to he too well laid to be disturbed at this time He is credited with the control of the State committee. Independently of the members from the metropolitan district. He haR plai ned to organize the Democratic minority In the Legislature and cast it's vote for John F. Stanchheld of Eln1iro for United States Senator With thesa plans consummated he win remain in un- disputed mastery of the State Democracy until 1904. The only way that Parker ar Shepard can secure the indorsement of the State for the Presidency is to defeat Hill first.