Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-05-27

less Mr. Bryan left the conference al
stronger man than when he went In.
He had shown the governors and the
delegates that be stood for certain is
sues that were not necessarily partisan
and that he was quite as able to ap-
plaud the president upon issues which
he believed to be right as to oppose
those be thought wrong There was no
more enthusiastic reception given to
any one. not to the president himself.
than that given to Mr.. Bryan when he
spoke.
What the Governors Thought.
After the conference was over rep.
resentatives of New York paper
which is bitterly antagonistic to Mr.
Bryan polled the governors on their
preferences for presidential nominee
Here is the result: Every Democratic
governor was for Bryan; every Repub-
lican governor who did not come from
a state having .'favorte son" was for
Taft. Governor Folk of Missouri said
In my presence: "AIissetiri's vote at
Denver will be cast for Mr. Bryan 1t
is well known that am supporter of
him." Governor Conner of Alabama
said II am for Rryannand believe that
he will be nominated and elected"
On the Republican side perhaps the
strongest statement made by any one
outside of the states in which favor
lite sons" are being urged was that
from Governor Warner Of Michigan.
who said: Quote Inc in the most Wig.
orous terms as being in favor of Taft
| The entire state of Michigan is for him.
| and | have no doubt that he will he
nominated and elected"
Here in Washington there has ceased
| to be any doubt of the nomination OF
Taft. but every day the doubt of his
| election is becoming more general
| A Story From Alaska.
Thomas Gale, territorial delegate
| from AIaska.' elected on a nonpartiSan
| ticket. told 10 number of rrieEds In
| the house cloakroom the other day a
! story which has no particular postica.
| bearing. but which has some interest
as showing the enthusiasm which Mr.
| Bryan is able TO awaken among his
| supporters Mr. Gale was a miner in
| the far recesses of the K!ond!ke II
| 1896 y paper in Dawson rejoicing IL
| the name OF the Daily Nugget prepar
ed during that militant year of poll
| tics golden souvenir and invited its
| readers 10 vote as TO whether ii shout
be given to Mr. Mckinley or Mr. Bry
| an. The editor of the paper WAS Re
/ IA l.nl F.c ff
what direction the gift would take
| The souvenir was a golden c.rck
| within which We're suspended small
| models ot the miners tools The pick
| the windlass. the pan and the Other
| necessaries of the prospector, Tht
| election was held on Canadian sol
and was. of course. purely a Senti
mental affair Thomas Gale Travelled
| on foot sixty miles from his camp il
| the K,ondike wilderness to Dawson
| rolling himself in his blanket at night
| driving his dog team by day. merel!
| to cast his vote The result of thu
! election was that the souvenir was
awarded to Mr.. Bryan by vote OF
j more than three to one. somewhat Il
the disgust of the Republican news
paper proprietor who had offered it
Gale says that Mr.. Bryan told him
that 1t was deposited in his safe as
among the most priced memorials OF
his first campaign.
The Two Conventions.
The Republicans have practically
finished their selection of delegates te
the Chicago convention. On the sur
.ace II appears that the convention
will easily nominate Secretary Taft
That nomination. If made. and I thinl
IT will be made. will be accomplished
by the power of one man. There I:
30 longer q Republican party There
Il only Roosevelt. who controls tn,
Republican party. To what exten
the president can follow up his deter
miuation to nominate Taft by fore
Ing his election is yet to he deternin
ed Recently the statement appear
that nearly 400 delegates to the Chi
cago convention are federal employ
ees. owing allegiance to Roosevelt ant
doing his bidding That is yer,
good start for a nomination to b
made by merely a majority OF votes
| But when 1t comes to the election
! different issue will be raised TIL
president can control convention. bu
TO control the nearly 100000 voter
of the nation requires different orde
Of talent. 1t Is not probable that Nj
Roosevelt appreciates the hostility 0
public men in his own party to hin
His popularity with the voters in Gel
tain parts of the country may be ad
mitted, but his strength with the lead
ers Of his party must be questioned
III A Pennsylvania Republican congress
man told me only few days ago tina
he expected Bryan's nomination an
! hoped for his election AS he turne
away he said: This seems q strang
thing for Republican to say. but W
would like to get back to the systel
under which congress had somethin
to say in regard to the governmer
of this country. We are tired OF
White House autocracy, and we woul
willingly retire for four years in ordt