Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-08
RYAN's SOARING AMBITION.
Would Run for President If Demo-
Gratis Want to Trv Southeruer.

Gratis Want to Try Southerner.
RICHMOND. Va. May s.-For severa
days the dispatches from this city to out
side papers have been filled with announce
nents that Thomas F. Ryan was about t.
enter the field for election to the United
States Senate from this state 1t Is vel
known that he has always kept his resi-
dence In Nelson county, this state, the place
OF his birth, that he comes here to vote
and that he has taken q deep interest ir
the affairs Of his party
II must not, however, be concluded be-
cause these facts are true that Mr., Ryan
has never INDUCED himself in political am.
Ditlons. But his friends here insist that he
mas no idea of aiming at such small game
80 that among them 1t is an open secret
that nothing below the presidency will ever
satisfy him. Whatever he may have
thought about politics or whatever Interest
he may have in 1t. he has never been &C.
casea OF looking Tor small things or of In
duiging In aspirations below the highest.
AS result. there are many signs that the
busy presidential bee has been buzzins not
far from his bonnet.
II the predictions Of Mr.. Ryan's friends
should turn out to be true that he is likely
to enter the field as an active presidential
candidate. something more than mere poll
tics would enter into the resulting cam
paign. At no time in our history has a
Catholic ever aspired to the presidency
even as a serious candidate before a ma
tional convention. But II Mr. Ryan IA
strong In his party feelings and senti-
ments. he Is much stronger still In his I'M
yielding devotion to the church of his
choice. His activity and interest have been
shown In many ways not only as a con-
tributor to its funds. but as giving per-
sonal work, attention and advice far more
valuable to it and more difficult for a man
wi min In
his hands.
Information at hand here diseredits the
from Richmond to the effect that
Mr.. Thomas F. Ryan of Virginia and New
York Is playing for political preferment in
offering to assist the Jamestown exposition
out of its financial difficulties. From a
source close to Mr.. Ryan the statement
comes that Mr.. Ryan, in his negotiations
with Mr.. Tucker of the exposition COM
pany, stipulated that his identity with the
proposed flotation Of bonds was to be kept
secret, as far as possible and that It was
to be thoroughly understood that he had
no political ambition to serve, but would
render such aid as he could merely for state
pride.
The Richmond dispatches intimated that
Mr.. Ryan was looking above even the SEN
atorship in his political aim, having the
democratic presidential nomination in view
Mr.. Ryan's friends here say that such
suggestion Is untenable for at least three
reasons: First he does not believe south
ern man will be chosen; second, he thinks
that objection would be raised to him as
Catholic, and, third. his Affiliations with high
finance and trusts in New York would sub
ject him to criticism by the radical faction
Of the democracy.
The politicians do not hesitate to avail
Of Mr.. Ryans affiliations with
the Catholic Church and with the finan-
ciers, secretly. as Is well known to those
familiar with recent campaigns in New
York, when he rendered service to the re-
publican party and to the democratic party
at different times and In different crises,
state and national, but the associations and
liable as q worker in the vineyard would
hamper him as a candidate, 1t IL said.