The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-03
 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDACY OF JOHNSON

ment of the foreign vote, particularly of the Scandinavian origin, who, for many years, have been almost unanimously re- publican, and without whose support we have not been able to win a national elec tion since the war
 The argument of availability, we in- sist, is perfectly legitimate and appro- priate. It is of great consequence to the south at this time. Upon the shoulders of the 6lst Congress elected next No vember will fall the duty of reapportion- ing representation in Congress and in the electoral college MT. Crumpacker of Indiana is chairman of the census com mittee which has Jurisdiction over that question. The republican convention of Ohio, in a platform dictated by Mir. Taft, the probable republican nominee, has declared for the reduction of south ern representation and it is altogether probable that a plank will be found in the next republican platform pledging the party unequivocally to that policy. The injurious effect of the adoption of this policy upon the south Is, we fear, not fully appreciated by our people It IS not as some imagine, merely matter of sentiment and the holding of an unim- portant office by a few gentlemen It IS, in our opinion, of the greatest vital con sequence to the south. From the very DeRlnnng or InlS government doWi Io eAiS present time the great bulk of federal appropriations has been expended in the north The depletion of our natural wealth by this source is difficult to oyer- estimate. It has been going on for over 100 years and its ripe fruit is attested in large part by the wide difference in the wealth of the two sections. This Is not the exclusive reason, it is true, but it is one of the largest factors in the unequal distribution of wealth between the sections To some extent this in- justice has been checked in recent years by the insistance of our representatives upon something like equal rights in the matter of river and harbor appropria- tions, in the matter of public buildings and of rural free delivery and other pos tai facilities. A reduction on one-haH or one-thrd in our representatives means that just to that extent will the internal development of the south through in creased rivers and harbors appropriations, through improved postal facilities and through public buildings be checked and retarded and to that much greater eX- tent will the wealth of the south be de- pleted.
 There are other considerations of great importance involved in this matter of equality in representation in the National Congress and in the electoral college. Our political rights are intimately con nected with this problem. The south cannot afford to take any chances when vital issue of this character threatens to be made paramount, as it is likely to be in the coming campaign. There has never been since 1892 as hopeful pros pect for democratic success we have at this time. There has never been q time since 1892 when the success of the democratic party was so important and so intimately connected with the welfare of our own people.
 We do not mean to disparage Mir Bryan at all when we assert that the only hope of success in the national election is the presentation of united party to our op- ponents. If we can bring all elements of the national party to our support there is more than a fair prospect of victory
 We do not believe that MT. Bryan can hope to have behind him a united party in , the north. He has never had and we see no reason to suppose that he will have at this time. We do not mean to say that this is the fault of MT. Bryan. It may have arisen from causes for which he was wholly irresponsible and over which he had no sort of control, but it is a fact with which we are concerned and not the