Evening journal., 1907-06-04
MOVEMENT TO
DEFEAT BRYAN
Plan to Have FavOrite Son
Candidates in Different
States
CLEVELAND HAS
NO PART IN SCHEME

WASHINGTON. June 4-Democrat-
ic leaders in various parts Of the
country with anti Bryan leanings evil
IDENTIFY believe that there is a real pos-
sibility OF eliminating the Nebraskan
as contender for the Presidential
nomination next year. The talk OF
beating Bryan In the convention by
organizing favorlte-son boom is Civ
ing encouragement TO a number or
prominent Democrats with Presidential
aspirations, so that today Il looks Us
though there might be as keen a strug-
gle for the nomination as there was
in 1896.
Democrats believe that If Bryan is
to be sidetrackedl II viii only be
through a consolidation of all elements
against him. Nobody seriously thinks
that the peerless leader viii volun-
tarily remove himself from the race
Bryan was once quoted as saying that
he would not run If Roosevelt were to
be renominated, but he has since de-
MED this in the Commoncr.
Conservative Democrats and others
who have tired Of the rule Of Bryan"
are getting together for the purpose Of
rendering his nomination for the third
time impossible.
To Use cleveland's Name
There Is more in tile movement to
day 90 down BRYAN than at any time
since he assumed the leadership of his
party. Half a dozen or more WE'LL
known Democratic figures are being
quietly doomed for the nomination. N
the favorte-son movement gathers
sufficient votes In the convention to
beat Bryan by consolidating on an
available man this win be done n
may be stated on the best authority
that efforts have been made in the
past three weeks 20 induce Grover
Cleveland to consent TO the use of hts
name as candidate.
Many New York interests. both Re-
publican and Democratic. have urged
Cleveland to lead a fight for "safe and
sane" Democracy. The ovcrtures were
fatty turned down. The same elements
have since turned their attention TO
Judge Gray of Delaware, who is a
conservative Of the advanced type.
Gray would get the support OF the
large financial interests against any
candidate that Roosevelt might name,
and would also get many Republican
votes at the polls Judge Harmon Of
Ohio IS another possibility Of much the
same type. The fact that his home Is
nearer the geographical centre OF the
country gives TO Harmon a slightly
better chance for the prize than Gray
has .
Want an Aggressive Refcrmer
The probabilities are. however. that
the convention viii demand the nom-
/ nation of an aggressive candidate Will
a record as a reformer. This seems ta
be the type that appeals strongest &c
the voters these days In this event
Governor Folk of Missouri and Cover
nor Johnson Of Minnesota would come
/ TO the front Folk has done something
in Missouri I'm the way OF getting rid
of grafters and boodiers. In the opin-
ion of some of the big men Of the party
he has not in the last two years de-
veloped as he gave early promise 9i
doing. Johnson has fine record as
a reformer also and would be a tower
of strength to the ticket in the north
west, where it has been especially
weak in recent Presidential contests.
II the cry for Southern man should
be answered in the Convention. Sena-
tor Culberson of Texas would likely
be the nominee. Some influential con-
servative interests of the East ar,
back of Culberson. He probably has
the best organization OF any of the
possibilities, and perhaps the only or
eanization. Ex-Governor Francis OF
Missouri is spoken of as another elig'
ible. Unless there should be an un'
expected turn to Bryan in the neXi
few months, there promises to be 9
bitter fight for the Democratic nomi'
nation next year, with the entire field
/ ~, NTrk,.o alfou