The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-01-03

""N ""N'N'F"tVs hNeiN NhV Nv thu hcNt
Republican National Convention. but
with the Democratic national convention
Il has looked pretty much the same old
story. Ii reports current among politi'
clans here are to be believed. however
the contest in the Democratic conven.
tion will be interesting and as import
ant as that in the Republican conven-
tion, The story is being spread through.
ont the Capital that the System has
picked Governor Johnson, OF Minnesota,
to beat Bryan for the Democratic nom
nation and any candidate which the Re
puhicans may put up who is pledged to
Roosevelt policies, This interesting
story first appeared in long Washing
ton dispatch in the Buffalo Evening
News to be substantiated the next day
by Democratic National Committeeman
from New York. Hon. Norman T. Mack
OF Buffalo. Mr., Mack Is the proprietor
OF the Bualo Times, and reprinted the
News Dispatch in full, besides giving an
interview TO the News confirming the
story. Since then II has been spread
through Washington, perhaps in an ef'
fort to offset the moyement in favor
of Governor johnson, II Is not for =
moment charged that the Governor is
cognizant OF any effort on the part OF
the System to have him nominated, or
that he IL pledged to favor II in any
way, but ii is charged that the System
has picked him ont as the only man
with which it can defeat Bryan for the
nomiation and from now on II will boom
him with all the resources at its cam
mand. According to the story, James
!. Hill, Of st. Paul, recently went TO
New York and told the System that II
1t would put up the money he would
furnish the man to heat Bryan. the idea
being that II a Roosevelt Republican
were nominated the weight Of the System
would he thrown to the Democratic
ticket. From New York he went to
Washington where the Democratic Ma
tional Committee was TO meet. Tie was
here during that meeting, at which John
p. Stanchfield Of Elmira showed up with
n proxy for New Hampshire. According
to the report the plan was to secure the
postponement OF the Democratic CON
vention TO as late a period after the Re
publican convention as possible, to give
the System time to operate on the dele
gates in case Republican unsatis'
factory to the System should be nomi'
mated. Mr.. Stanchfeld. who il represent
ed as acting for Mr. Hill, advocated n
,leIav OF five weeks Ex-senator Kenny,
Of Deleware, fought on the outside to
break the unit rule, but Bryan's friends
combined and held that rule in force
and also cut down the time of holding
the convention from five weeks, as ad'
vocated by Mr.. Stanchfield, to three
weeks after the Republican convention.
Mr.. Kenny found he was beaten and did
not fight the unit rule on the floor Of the
committee. The. point Is repeatedly
made that Bryan cannot carry New
York and cannot win without it. Th3
SYSTEM says that New York is against
BRYAN. However much truth there MAJ
be in the story there is no doubt that
a sentiment hostile to Bryan is crop
ping ont here and there. Whether it IS
inspired by the System or is the honest
conviction OF those evincing it, the TACT
remains that many Democrats say and
doubtless believe that with Bryan as n
candidate the fight is lost before 1t is
begun. Against this we have the equal
" sincere protestations of many Repub-
leans that Roosevelt is the man who
can beat Bryan.
While in Washington recently Mr..
Bryan told story on himself to the
George Washington University law
students, which, while it has been toll
on him before, is good enough to repeat.
"I knew that I was making great pro.
gress," said Mr.. Bryan. "Everywhere
went ] was received by tremendous
throngs and my arguments were greeted
with enthusiastic cheers When the
campaign ended retired to my home
confident that we had wiped the Repub.
lican party from the face Of the earth.
T did not see how it would get any
votes at all. To my amazement the
election gave the Republican candidate
or Governor the usual majority. Some
time after the Inauguration ] was invit-
ed to make an address along with n
number of other speakers at meeting
at which the Governor whom I had 30