Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-24
THE VICE PRESIDENCY
Three Western States Have
Candidates.
NEWSPAPER MEN TALK
NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE
RoosEVELTs POPULARITY.
No One Else Thought Of for President
Even Democrats Would
Vote for Him. "
NEWSPAPER MEN TALK

Two prominent writer's on western poll
tics, Mr.. w. w. Jermane. Washington cor
respondent of the Minneapolis Journal. and
Mr.. F. A. johnson of the st. Paul Dis
patch came back to town today after trips
of several weeks through the northwest
for their respective papers.
Three states are after the vice presi-
dency on the republican ticket" said Mr..
Johnson this afternoon, Iowa, Minnesota
and Wisconsin. Iowa wants Gov. Cum
Minis to have it. but the anti-tariff revision
people bar the way. Minnesota thinks
Gov. Van SAINT would be a good man. He
is very popular account of his course
in the Northern Securities case. Wiscon-
sin is getting ready to urge Gov. La Fol-
lette."
Wouldn't that be about the limit for the
conservative east Roosevelt and La Fol-
letter.
Il guess it would kind of rile them down
Wall street way but the west isn't stay
ing awake of nights worrying about Wall
street troubles l never saw anything like
the wave of popularity for Roosevelt that
has swept over the western country. He Is
the most popular man who has been before
the public since the days of Blaine
What do the democrats think about the
situation?"
They don't know what to think; they
| haven't any one to focus their thoughts
didates to democrat out west the only
fixed idea he has is that the candidate
| ought to be man who supported the ticket
in SO and 1900. Regularity is about the
only qualification he is ready to prescribe.
All for Roosevelt.
For three weeks" said Mr.. Jermane, Il
| Rave been travelling through Wisconsin.
Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa, Kansas and
Missouri, part of the time with President
Thn ry1,in
pressed me most in political way. is the
unanimity with which western voters, re-
gardless Of party. sounding the praises
of the President, and predicting his nomt-
nation and election next year. 1t is nat
ural, of course, that western republicans
should talk in that way. but I was hardly
prepared for the Roosevelt sentiment which
l found among the old line democrats, more
especially those who still adhere to Bryan.
These men believe that there is plan
| under way in the east to nominate some
democrat of the old Cleveland or Olney
type for the presidency-they don't hesitate
to, say that in their Judgment, Judge
Parker of New York is a man of that class
Wall street to finance the democratic
campaign, and the whole strength OF the
eastern wing of the party to be directed
toward retiring Roosevelt. not because he
is a republican. for these Wall street mag
mates have for many years belonged to
that party, but because he is, in their opin-
fOn dangerous man commune IN the
executive office.
1.-The western democrats will oppose any
movement of that character should 1t be
made in the national convention and, fall
ing, will rally to the support of Roosevelt
at the polls by thousands in each of the
states which I have visited. 1t is the be-
lief of many sober-thinking republicans
that Bryan himself. in such an emergency.
would either support Roosevelt or bring a
second democratic ticket into the field.
Tho Wall Street PraCram
Before going away from Washington a
report reached me from New York that it
was the plan of the eastern democrats to
do the thing which have just pointed out.
and then to focus the campaign the So
called trust states of the east-New York,
Connecticut Rhode Island, New Jersey and
Delaware.
These states, with the solid south and
some such state as Indiana, might elect
the democratic candidate. Evidently. the
eastern democrats have heard something
of the popularity of Roosevelt in the west,
and of the contemplated move of Bryan in
case man of his liking is not made the
party nominee, for the opinion prevails
universally In the west that If Parker,
Olney, German, Cleveland or any man of
that stripe is nominated the entire west
will be abandoned to Roosevelt.
''In Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, ST.
Paul, Kansas City. st. Joseph and st.
Louis 1 was reliably Informed that Roose-
velt would poll a larger western labor vote
than ever was polled by a republican can
didate. This vote, we all know, has al
ways been largely democratic.
$50 far as I could discover, the west is
not yet taking any active interest in the
second place on the republican ticket. At
the proper time it is probable that half
a dozen middle-west states will have can
didates, but no names are now being Sc
riously mentioned
President Roosevelt had his greatest re-
ception thus far on his western tour at
Milwaukee. The program was copy OF
the program arranged by that city for
the visit of Henry of Prussia. and If what
l was told is true. the President made a
stronger impression upon the conservative
German element there than did the Hohen-
zolern prince. Milwaukee is the most in
f1uential German center in the country and
the way its people capitulated to the Presi-
dent promises much in the way Of re-
publican German vote next year"