New-York tribune., 1908-07-06
TICKET LACKS A TAIL
MURPHY MAY CHOOSE 1T.
Littleton. Niron and Ridder IN Run
ming for Second Place.
[By Telegraph to The Tribune.

Denver July 5-yudge Gray, of Delaware. con-
tinues to be the leading candidate for second
place the Democratic national ticket despite
the repeated assertions of his friends that ne
! will not accept 1t. Grays name VIII not De
taken off the Bryan slate until the Judge gives
specific orders to that effect which have not
been received as yet II it Is not TO be Gray. It
looks If the Bryan managers. after the plat
form building is out of the way. VII. go to
| Charles F. Murphy. the Tammany leader, ana
ask him to name a upon whom the New
York delegates can unite and who will ener-
getically supplement the campaign 10 be made
by the Peerless Leader" Murphy sees me
Vice-Presidential nomination coming his way
and he and his friends are doing some nara
thinking. ]. Sergeant Cram and William ).
Conners came to town to-day. and with Cohalan.
Nixon. Conners and Cram to talk 1t over witn
| Mr.. Murphy will have candidate ready 70
| spring at the proper time.
The process of elimination has swept into the
discard all the New York aspirants except Mar
tin w Littleton. the lawyer; Lewis Nixon. the
! shipbuilder and Herman Ridder, of the New
| Yorker Staats-Zeitung."
Towne Coler and Harrison appear TO have
| been spoHged off the slate. 1t can be said on
| what appears to be the highest authority. that
Justice William j. Gaynor is also eliminated
! Bryan likes him and indicated to Murphy, ny
| proxy that he would like TO have the judge for
a running mate Considerations springins
chiefly from Justice Gaynors views on religion
seem to have rendered him unavailable.
| One thing can be said with certainty Charles
F. Murphy and William J. Bryan understand
| each other Murphy has talked with Mr.. Bryan's
| brother Charles and with Mayor Dahlman OF
Omaha, both of whom know what Bryan wants
Mr. Bryan has been informed that the New
York delegation will insist upon toning down
of the platform so that the 'Bryanesque" ideas
will not jar the sensibilities of the rank and file
| in the Empire State. Murphy will not fully
show his hand until he sees the platform as
Bryan wants ii. AS soon as he has gone the
! limit in compelling the toning down OF the plat
form, Murphy and Conners will suggest their
candidate for Weep President. If he is accepted,
Murphy and Conners and the lesser lights will
come out enthusiastically for Bryan and the
| platform.
! Friends of Mr.. Littleton called Mr.. Bryan
! in Lincoln last week and talked with the can
/ didate about the New York lawyer as a run
ming mate. Then it thought that he was
| too conservative and would hardly do as
| ming mate.
| That is just about what Mr.. Littleton thinks
| about himself. and he wrote to Mr.. Bryan to-
| day that under circumstances would he ac-
| cept the nomination on a platform that did not
siasm. He asked Bryan not to consider him.
! This does not take him out of the race how
i ever.
| SOUTHWEST FOR LITTLETON
The Southwestern delegates are coming in.
and they whooping up things for Littleton.
He born IL Tennessee and the Tennessee
| men want him. He grew up in Texas as a
laborer. farm hand and printer, before he took
| up the law. and the Texas men are enthusiastic
| for him. The Texas delegates began drifting in
to-day, and they, too. began to shout for Little
| ton. The bronco busters and Constitution
| manufacturers from Oklahoma also Joined in
| the chorus for Littleton. so that tonight he is
being boomed,- whether he likes it not, and
| whether Bryan likes It or not.
| The Southwestern men do not care a rap
| about his being a partner in law firm that
represents some of the big soulless corpora
tons" They rather proud of the fact that
| he has been able TO make name for himself
| among the "octopuses'' in New York. AS
| campaigner he would fill the BILL he is
| ready speaker. Bryan likes this in Littleton.
I.ttleton four years ago nominated Parker.
| That made him we'll known TO the Democratic
leaders. This time he is intrusted with the
| task of fighting for conservatism in the plat
| form His standing in the convention will de-
| pend a good deal the kind of impression he
| makes.
NIXON AND RIDDER WEIGHED.
| Lewis Nixon has been Bryans personal friend
| for the last twelve years Bryan has been a
| guest on the Nixon houseboat. Nixon is a good
| mixer but he is not much of a campaigner He
| could ride around a special train and talk TO
| the people, but he is not a convincing or adroit
| campaigner.
| Then comes Herman Ridder Mr. Bryan
| thinks that Ridder would be strong with the
/ German-Americans. and he figures that large
| percentage of the voters have German blood in
| them Ridder is president of the American
| Nevspaper Publishers Association, a hard
| fighter and makes a good speech These are the
| men which Mr.. Murphy is retaining his list,
| one of whom he is likely to put forward at the
| proper time.
| ing about their chances. Indiana wants John
| w Kern The Connecticut still boost
| ing Archibald Mcneil, OF Bridgeport Ex-Rep-
| resontative Bell Of California. who is to be the
| temporary chairman OF the convention, is still
| talked of by the Coast delegates, and Colonel ].
| Ham Lewis of Chicago, of the rainbow whisk-
ers is languidly regarded by some of the Chi
| cago men as an eligible candidate for second
| nlace The minor boOms. however are ex-
| tremelv ladylike in their department, keeping off
| the grass obeying all the speed laws and con-
| forming to the rules of political etiquette
COOK COUNTY CONTESTANTS NOISY.