Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-15
FORCING A LINEUP
Bryan's Opponents Will Have
to Come Out in the Open.
MUST ALIGN THEMSELVES
Effect of Nebraskan's Announcement
of Candidacy.
STATEMENT NOT A SURPRISE
Expected by His Friends, Who Will
First Tackle Minnesota, the
Johnson Stronghold.
MUST ALIGN THEMSELVES
STATEMENT NOT A SURPRISE

Mr.. Bryan's announcement of his Will
ingness to be a presidential candidate was
no surprise to politicians. Such a state
meut has been,exp 1Cted since he went 10
Richmond upon which occasion he init
mated to some OF his friends that he
would soon speak out. Politicians in this
city who discussed the Bryan announce
mant today wara inclined to attach con-
siderable importance 20 it.
Trey argued t.iat it now becomes de-
volvent upon tn conservative or anti
Bryan wing OF democracy to put up a
candidate or else acquiesce in the Bryan
candidacy. Mr.. Bryau's friends will go
to work Immediately 90 get up delegations
to the national convention favoring his
nomination. The issue will be drawn in
congressional districts from now on
whet her @ould-be delegates to the con-
vention will favor MI Bryan or not
Democrats who are not fJr him must be
against him, and the question will nat
urally arise whom else they favor.
Will First Tackle Minnesota.
Some politicians thought that Mr.. Bry-
ans statement of his posit on will force
Gov. johnson of Minnesota to either put
up or shut up If he is to be a candidate,
1t was said. he will have to come out and
declare his intentions. The Bryan org an
izers will tackle Minnesota as their first
job. and will force the Johnson people to
make a show of hands. Mr. Judson Har-
mon of Cincinnati, Gov. Folk of NJ ssouri
and other democrats who are suspected of
having a presidential bee in their bonnets
will have to bestir themselves.
Mr.. Bryan's friends in this city-and
some of his closest advisers are found
here-said today that Mr. Bryan ev IDENTIFY
made his announcement with the convic-
ton that it would be favorably received
by a large body of democrats. He was in
position to formulate judgment on that
point from the fact that he has within the
past few months personally sounded SEN
timent among the democrats in many sec
tions. He has just returned from an ex-
tenSive tour of the south. region re-
pOrted to be .lukewarm toward his can
didacy. 1t is said that Mr.. Bryan found
no reason to anticipate that his candidacy
would be unwelcome to the rank and file
of the party, although ne soon discovered
that the leaders were opposed to him.
Bryan's Friends May Be Located.
Mr.. Bryan's friends said that his an
nouncement will have the effect of max
ing Tammany declare itself. and also
force the followers of Mr.. William R.
to say that all of this will be advantageous
to Mr.. Bryan in the end, by enabling him
to locate his friends and his enemies, and
to lay out an effective plan of campaign
Another result of the announcement, it
was said, would be to precipitate discus
sion Immediately upon the question of
platform and issues for the presidential
campaign. In his statement Mr.. Bryan
outlines the broad issues which he pre-
fers, and the politicians said that public
interest will be aroused Immediately in
these questions.
Republicans also took an interest in Mr.
Bryan's statement, and there was consd-
cradle gossip in republican circles. The
first question asked was Would the Bryan
candidacy stimulate the Roosevelt third
term boomers to renewed activity? This
question suggested itself from the fact
that great many politicians have
thought that If Mr.. Bryan should run
again the President might be induced by
the enthusiasts who surround him to the
conclusion that it would take a Roose-
welt to beat Bryan. On the other hand,
there are republicans who think that
Roosevelt is the one man whom Bryan
surely could defeat, with third term as
the issue.