Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-30
Bryan No Longer Conceded as
a Sure Winner of Democratic
Nomination
M,NNEsoTAN's BOOM IS ON
Anti Bryan Faction Working for I'm
instructed Delegations in Hope Of
Throwing United Opposition to
Johnson-No Work Being Done in
Bryan stronahoIds.

j the republicans are to know the
name Of their presidential nominee, SO
are the democrats to know the name
of theirs. Whatever is done to head
off w. j. Bryan must be done during
January and February, II done at ALL
While conceding the probability that
they may be compelled to accept Mr.
Bryan, there are, many influential DEM
ocrats who would like to get away
from him, and they have been plan
ming for some time to find the best
way to get their forces together for
some kind Of systematic work. Almost
without exception Governor Johnson Is
the man td whom these anti-Bryan
men are looking.
II is entirely too early to say that
the johnson boom has reached Its
highest point, and that he cannot pos
sibly be nominated. Stranger things
have frequently happened in American
politics. and no wise man is willing to
take the ground that they may not
happen now.
Democratic newspapers from Balti-
more and as far south as Charleston
and Savannah, are busy calling atten-
ton to him, and 1t is understood here
that a movement in his favor Is being
started in New York, New England and
Pennsylvania.
For Uninstrueted Delegations.
It is the general plan Of the anti
Bryan people to prevent majority OF
the delegates to the Denver convention
from being instructed for Bryan. The
movement in the south for uninstruct-
ed delegates is being put under way
with ia good deal Of optimism, altho It
is too soon to say how 1t will result.
The movement III New England Is
also for ,uninstructed delegates, and
the invitation to Governor johnson to
address the Boston Manufacturers AS.
ISOLATION tonight had back Of it q very
strong Johnson sentiment thruout New
england and desire on the part of the
democratic leaders to see the governor
ia action and look him over. There
are many people here who think the
governor should have strained point
to accept that invitation.
l.
OF not instructing is very strong, and
so is It in Pennsylvania. 1t is said that
IL New Angland and these two big
states, together with a considerable
section of the south Atlantic and gulf
states, should go to Denver without
instructions, Bryan's nomination would
be impossible, and that johnson would
almost certainly be taken up IN MS
place,
Not in Bryan stronsholds.
No efforts will be made to envade the
strong Bryan states, such as Missouri,
Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Ne
braska, and the old free silver states
OF the Rocky mountains. These Will
be conceded to Bryan without con-
test, and undoubtedly their delegates
will be instructed accordingly But IN
ali the other sections OF the country
the fight for uninstructed delegations
WILDE made with q good deal OF earn
estness.
Governor Johnson will not be men
toned openly in this fight, nor Will
any other possible opposing candl-
date. After all the states have chos-
en- their delegates, there will be q
u count OF noses. Should Bryan have
enough instructed votes to make his
nomination practically certain the
fight will then be dropped, and the
nomination will go to him by accla-
. nation. But on the other hand,
should the number Of 5urinstructed del
egations aided by the two-thirds rule,
seem to promise that Bryan may be
defeated for the nomination, there will
be an organization Of the uninstruct-
ed forces, ending with the bringing
forward Of Governor Johnson as the
most available man.
This would, perhaps, mean fight
In the convention, and such fight
might last over several days, but with
the two-thirds rule to help them, the
anti-Bryan forces would expect ulti-
mately to win.
The possibility that the situation
may develop us pointed out above,
means that the, delegates from Mime
sofa should be picked out with some
care. This applies also to the Dakotas
and to any other territory which
{ johnson would be expected to control.
Backfre from any of these delega-
tons might ruin everything.
Less Sure About Bryan.
But for Governor Johnsons con-
ceded availability, there would be
nothing of this talk Of concerted
movement against Bryan. Three
months ago it was everywhere be-
lieyed that Bryan would be nominat-
ed without opposition. This may yet
prove to be the case, but in the mean
time Governor Johnson has made his
famous trip to Washington, where he
underwent some pretty searching scru-
tiny at the hands of the party leaders.
Since his return home there is heard
a good deal less about the inevitability
Of Bryans nomination. Now comes
the proposition to work for uninstruct-
ed delegations in all but the staunch
Bryan states. and by the middle of
January the movement in that direc-
ton will be under full Roadway.
How that movement will turn out
nobody knows. but that it is genu-
Inc nobody can question.
Should New York prevent instruc-
tons, Lieutenant Governor Chanler
might be the immediate beneficiary.
But Chanler mas no standing in the
country at large. and 1t is said that
: the votes of that state would in the
end have to 10 to Johnson. the sec
ond place on the ticket being reserved
Tor Chanler. The reverse Of this, with
Chanler first and Johnson second. is
hardly thought possible by leading
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