The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1908-01-24
BRYAN HAS TROUBLES.

Mr.. Bryan is not yet out OF the
woods. A movement in the east has
been organized to defeat him for the
nomination.
On Thursday afternoon in New York
a number of conservative democrats
who realize that Mr.. Bryan can not
be elected, will meet to discuss the
situation. Mr.. Bryan, who is going
east, will be told what these demo
Gratis think of the matter.
Stories to the effect that Bryan has
recently declared he is willing to step
down and out II one.third the dele
gates at Denver desire 1t, have been
denied, but similar yarns keep bob
bling up. ...~ -. .... ... ,....
In spite Of this eastern movement,
however, the south is unit for Bryan
and the south and the west will be
strong enough, it is believed, to carry
the convention. The Minneapolis
Journal, which has been persistently
and consistently boosting Johnson, has
come to the conclusion that Bryan is
going to win.
A careful round up of democratic
sentiment in the southern states dis
closes the almost absolute certainty
that those states will send delegates
to the Denver convention who will
support Bryan for the presidential
nomination, says that paper. In sew
eral of these states-in fact, in pract-
ically al of them-there is consider
able sentiment for Governor Johnson
of Minnesota, but it will hardly be Of
sufficient importance to result in del
egates unless there should be radi-
cal change of alignment within the
next sixty days.
In a number of the southern states
Johnson would have part of the del
egates if there should be no unit rule,
but since the unit rule is almost in
variably adopted in democratic conven-
lions the chances seem to be that this
Johnson sentiment will not be able to
show itself in delegates. The states in
: which there is active opposition to
Bryan are Texas, Louisiana, Alabama,
North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland
Kentucky and Tennessee. Bryan's pro-
posal to Senator Culberson that Gull
berson accept second place on the dem
ocratic ticket this year will be counted
upon-once it is widely known-to line
up the southern conservatives.
During the past two weeks the Jour
nal correspondent has been at some
pains to sound democratic members OF
the house and senate from southern
states on the presidential situation
These men with the understanding that
they were not to be quoted, were will
ing to talk freely. Singularly enough
almost two-thirds of them are person
ally opposed to the nomination OF
Bryan. and would be glad of chance
to support Governor Johnson. They say
however, that the condition Of party
sentiment in their respective states is
I such as to make it unsafe for them
E even to let it be generally known that
: they are against Bryan. The common
people are nearly all for him, and pub
lie men would take their political lives
in their hands at this time by failing
: to drift along with this Bryan tide
e This situation is very similar to the
d one which for long time has prevail
/ ed in the republican party so far as
: congress is concerned. Perhaps two
), thirds of the republicans in bott
: houses are at heart opposed to Roose
a welt and all his major policies, but Sc
strong is the hold which the president
: has on the common people, not onl!
s. of the republican party, but of al
: parties, that this opposition has no
! much in evidence behind the CLOSED
r doors Of committee rooms and in tn,
/. cloak rooms of the two houses, bu
s. officially all the republican member!
y have always been strongly pro-Roose
c welt.
6 In both cases it is fear that has mad
t towards of these men. The democrats
e who oppose Bryan are just as afrait
to let the fact of their opposition be
e come public property as the republi
S cans who oppose Roosevelt are afrait
n n to tell the country where they reall.
"a stand.
o The net result of this democratic
n situation seems to foreshadow Bryal
! delegates from all the southern states
A. under the unit rule, altho it is jus
y possible that something may turn u
g later which may change the situation
10 HUGHES ALMOST OUT OF 1T
h The presidential boom of Governo
e Hughes in New York seems to hav
d lost heavily in the recent second fail
n ure of the county republican commit