The Washington herald., 1908-03-16


now full-hedged candidate for the Dem
ocratic nomination for President of the
United States, and all the anti-Bryan
forces are preparing to unite upon him.
Headquarters are to be opened In New
York, Washington. and Chicago, and for
the next three months concerted efforts
will be made by the conservative wing
of the party 10 secure over one-third Of
the delegates 10 the Denver convention.
thus preventing the nomination Of Mr.
Bryan.
James J. Hill. the great railway mag
nate of the Northwest, is said to be be-
hind the Johnson candidacy. and it is
now in shape 10 assume some proper
tons.
Means n Lively Contest
The knowledge of this move has put
Mr.. Bryan's friends on the alert. and
they recognize that they must combat
at once the work that is being done.
Several months ago Editor Henry Wat
terson, Of the Louisville Courier-Journal
endeavored persistently 10 direct the at
tention Of the Democrats Of the country
toward Gov. Johnson. but at that time
Eastern Democrats were engaged IN a
futile effort to develop a boom for -
good Southern Democrat" and Editor
Watterson's campaign for Johnson ultj-
mately came TO naught. Meanwhile
thanks to a radical administration al
Washington, the Democratic tide set in
so strongly for Bryan that Col. Waiter
son ultimately abandoned johnson as a
forlorn hope, and himself declared for
Bryan.
Afraid of Bryan's Election.
A few months ago the probability Of
the nomination Of Bryan did not disturb
the Eastern Democrats as much as it is
disturbing them to-day, for now they
are realizing that his nomination may
mean also his election.
The Eastern Democrats, who, in com
mon with the so-called reactionaries in
the Republican party, got much com
fort out OF the self-elimination Of Roose-
Welt are of the opinion that "A safe
and sane conduct Of governmental affairs
for the next four years Is only to be
guaranteed and assured by the complete
elimination Of Bryan also. They realize
clearly that the present remarkable state
of political affairs in the Republican
party may easily result in a nomination
at Chicago that would give Bryan the
chance Of his life 70 reach the Presi-
Dental goal. Therefore they propose
to make last and a determined fight
TO eliminate him.
Reluctant to Enter Race.
Gov. Johnson, If not conservative. is.
at any rate, appraised as much more of
q conservative than Mr.. Bryan. He has
never committed himself to government
ownership or TO other theories which
Bryan has championed, and which have
caused widespread fear of him in con-
servative circles. 1t was not until within
the past month that plans were definitely
made TO bring Johnson into the race as
an avowed candidate. He himself had
misgivings as to the wisdom of becoming
a candidate. He is comparatively a poor
man. and had not the resources at his
command for a preliminary contest for
the nomination. Moreover. he regarded
Bryan as the probable and logical nomi-
nee. Overtures to him by Bryan men
TO take second place on the ticket with
Bryan did not appeal to him And thus
he temporarily dropped out of sight as
a Presidential factor, only to be taken
up aggressively and determinedly at this
time by those Democrats who are fright
ened at the prospects not only of Bryan's
IL
Popular in the Northwest.
Gov. Johnson unquestionably possesses
the qualities Of a popular candidate He
is fOrty-seven years old, and since his
twelfth year has made his own way in
the world and been the mainstay of his
fathers family He became known in
the Northwest as ''the washerwoman's
SON." and this term popularized him
greatly with the masses. He is the ed
itor OF country paper at st. Peter.
Mimi, having begun work as a boy in a
printing Office A few years ago he was
elected to the State senate. and later was
nominated and elected governor. over
coming a large normal Republican ma
jority. He has since been reelected.
Both his parents were born in Sweden.
and this fact gave him the almost solid
support of the Scandinavian vote 10
which is attributed his rise in politics.
II is said that in the event of his nomi-
nation for President he would get this
Scandinavian vote again, not only in his
own State, but in the Dakotas and Ini-
nois, and in all probability would carry
all three Of them. Republicans. however.
declare that this claim for him is not
well grounded. and that with no local
issues involved he could not hope even
to carry Minnesota
johnson personally is little known in |
the East He made a trip 70 Washing |
ton in December last, and then. for the
first time. was seen and heard al close /
range. He addressed the waterways con- |
vention and attended the December din
ner of the Gridiron Club. On both occa-
sions he oaptivated those who saw and
heard him, and for the time being he
came the man Of the hour
Hope to Tie Up Convention.
AS already stated, Bryan's friands
while still confident that he will he nonD,
mated at Denver, do not underestima,a
the danger OF this Johnson movena,t
and will resist it with all the means 9,
their power. The Southern States thrs
far have taken but a perfunctory fnfaras+