The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-08-01
HAVE NO INFLUENCE
\ Confusion Of Sentiment by News
papers Opposed to Bryan:

| In an editorial headed "A Confusion
I of Sentiment the New Orleans States
says
The Charleston News and Courier
which has been afflicted with case Oh
Bryanphobia ever since its enthusiastic
participation in the Palmer -Buckner
fake of 1890, has made the startling dis
covery that the opinion is gaining
ground that Bryan could not be nom-
mated if he should be a. candidate. y
here Is all abundance of evidence,
however, that this opinion is confined to
the editorial rooms OF the News and
Courier and is not fourisling much
even there. If it were true that popular
sentiment is Sc changed toward Mr..
Bryan that if he should be a candidate
he could not be nominated there would
be no need for the persistent bitter and
sneering attacks the News and Courier
is making upon him. Therefore these
attacks are the best Of evidence that
Mr.. Bryan has not suffered any loss Of
popularity Or strength with the rank and
file of the Democracy.
If the tide of popular favor had turned
away from the Nebraskan as we are
told it has, the New York papers would
not be making him a daily target for
their batteries. If they were convinced
that Bryan had declined so low in public
esteem that if he were nominated by the
Democrats he would be beaten almost
without any effort, they would; instead
of fercely attacking him with ridicule
and lnvestice, adopt diplomatic course
calculated. to encourage his nomination.
But these papers know that the Nebras-
kan has not lost any of his. strength
among the Democrats of the West and
South, while he has gained much and is
steadily gaining i'll the Republican States
where the Republican voters have been
impressed by the fact that their own
party has been compelled by political
necessity and expediency to adopt and
vindicate his policies which a few years
ago it denounced as anarchistic
These are few facts that our Char
lesion contemporary has apparently
overlooked in its effort to boom Colonel
Watterson's "nan with .mustache,"
who happens to be Governor Johnson of
Minnesota, and the proof Of whose
strength it sees in the faint praise given
him by the New York press. while by
the same token it is blind to the proof of
Bryan's hold on the masses of the peo-
pie in the unceasing fire which these pa
pers are directing against him If the
EASTERN press was sure of the defeat Of
Bryan next year they would be engaged
at present in the work of encouraging
the Democratic party to make him its
nominee, and the reason why they are
not thus engaged is due clearly to the
fear that if he is nominated he will be
elected
With the amusing cocksureness which
marks the assertion that Bryan is GER
tain to be defeated if he is nominated
our Charleston contemporary declares
that Governor Johnson, who IS unknown
outside Of his State and Colonel Wat
terson, will be elected if he is the nomi
nee, and adds. !" 1t is certain that Gov
ernor johnson can carry his own State
of Minnesota there is much. reason to
believe that he can carry Michigan,
Wisconsin and the two Dakotas, and
there is strong reason or more to be-
lieve that he can carry Indiana, Illinois
and Ohio
In the meantime Governor Johnson's
reiterafion Of the statement that he is
not a candidate for the nomination for
President and does NOT expect to be,
shows his appreciation of the fact that
such talk as the News and Courier IN