The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-17
BOTH CONFIDENT AT CLOSE IF CAMPAIGN Bryan and Johnson Supporters
 Both See Victory BIG RALLY LAST NIGHT Jesse staIlings Told Large Audience at the Jefferson Theatre of the
 Availability of Johnson As
 a Candidate.
BIG RALLY LAST NIGHT

Jefferson theatre last night, the Johnson forces closed their campaign with feel ing of confidence. Bryan headquarters likewise saw victory ahead for the Ne- braskan. Chairman A. G. Smith said: There can be no possible doubt that on Monday the Alabama delegation to the Denver convention will be instructed to vote for Johnson of Minnesota
 ''The party in this state has turned to him with the utmost relief and hopeful ness, in similar contrast to the spiritless effort of Bryan Nothing was necessary except to show our people that Bryan nomination was not a foregone con clusion in spite of his desperate ef- forts and his early call for conven- tions. We have heard from thousands of democrats throughout the state embrace ing practically all of the tried party leaders, assuring us of a positive victory The farmers in every section, even be- fore they knew of the incomparable fit ness and ability of Johnson expressed delight at the opportunity to avoid vast ing another nomination on Mir Bryan. Every town in the state has become a nucleus for enthusiastic assistance and our work has been easy. We have never seen anything like it in the history of Alabama politics.
 We will receive over two-thrds of the vote in Mobile city and county, we will carry Montgomery county by an easy majority. Jackson is practically unanl-
 
 the feeling in this state is disclosed by the fact that Winston, the most secluded county in the state, will cast 75 per cent of her several hundred votes for demo- cratic victory and Johnson. Chambers and Randolph counties, in MT. Hefln's district, are absolutely certain in our opinion. The leading democrats in those counties wired us not to send any speakers there as they were solid. They are on the eastern border of the state In Pickens county, on the Mississippi line, the same condition exists. In fact it is so in every county in the state We understand that even MT. Tomlinson, the Bryan leader, comedies the nomination of some of the candidates for delegates
  one of them is, in our opinion, certain of nomination.
 'The fact is that the people of Alabama have realized that the rare opportunity has been presented a southern state for eleeting a President and saving the na- tion from another era of republican pro- crastination and evasion and direct in jury to the south The instruction of our delegation for Johnson will insure his nomination and election beyond ques- tion. The national campaign will begin with unparalleled enthusiasm the moment our vote is counted. A senator from North Carolina stated in Washington today that if Alabama instructed for Johnson every southern state would do so Our new leader has already aroused the most extraordinary enthusiasm. He has literally obscured Bryan at the Roosevelt conference He was received today on tie floor of the House and Sen ate with an unparalleled ovation from republicans as well as democrats. Think of a race with a leader like that What a glorious fight it would bel And then compare that idea with the gloomy and utterly spiritless condition that we would fall into with the twice worsted Bryan as leader.
 Alabama has risen magnificently to the opportunity of striking the blow that will nominate democracy's new leader at Dem yer and give the nation splendid man for President. We are already rejoic- ing because we know that the Bryan fight, led by estimabe gentlemen, who, in all candor, have no legitimate claim to be party leaders, has lost strength day by day, and would have almost fallen of it's own weight even if we had done nothing more than give the people of Alabama an opportunity of voting for new leader who has never lowered his lance to republican hosts or trailed his party's banner in the dust of bitter de- feat
 "As it is our people have responded with enthusiasm and MT. Bryan will receive little more than 30 per cent of the vote cast We trust that he will do all in his power to assist in triumphant election of John A Johnson and thus retain an hon ored place in the councils of his party. We are glad that this campaign has been characterized by no bitterness. It has been on our part a simple and direct ap- real to reason and it is fine to feel that our party in this has responded so admir- ably It could not have been done had there not existed in the general consci- ousness of our people the conviction that Johnson of Minnesota, and not Bryan, was the man..
 Rally at Jefferson.
 Jesse Stalling took a mouth full of water, swallowed part of it and spat the rest upon the stage, whereupon in his own style he made a speech that was punctuated with yells and applause from a representative audience at the Jefferson theatre last night.
 politics for more than 30 years, MT. Stall ings declared that the nomination of Bryan means the destruction of the dem ocratic party and the nomination of Johnson means victory.
 Irs support of his opinion he cited the case of Clay who was three times nomi- mated by his whig friends and his third defeat caused the annihilation of the whig party. His speech was full of rhetorical features among them being: Think, my fellow citizens. See the noble Morgan