The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-15
MINNESOTA IN PATH OF BRYAN Contest for the States
 Delegation. JOHNSON IS IN THE WAY Friend of Nebraskan Begins a Campaign. "ccmpIimentary" vete for 'FayorIte Son" Might Interfere With Plans
 und Speakers Will Get
 Busy.

Minneapolis. Minn.. Jan. 14.-(Spe. cial.)--The real Bryan fight for the Minnesota delegation has begun and at it's head is James Manahan. former Nebraskan and a personal friend of William J. Bryan.
 Before coming to Minneapolis Man. ahan lived in Bryan's Congressional Dis trict and at one time offered himself as the sacrificiaI candidate for the Demo- cratic nomination for Congress. Bryan did all he could for the young lawyer but he was showed under heavily.
 Manahan is attorney for the Ship pers and Receivers Association and as such fought to a successful finish the fight of the small shippers, and the large ones too. against J. J. Hill and his railroads. He is known as a fight CT. an organizer and speaker. Man ahan denies that he is working at the solicitation of Mir. Bryan, but the fight of the Bryan men for the State did net begin until after Manahan had paid q visit to Nebraska and had been in con- sultation with close personal and po- fitical friends of Bryan. Manahan claims that he did not see Bryan per- sona1ly, but both Bryan and Mauahan spoke at the same banquet in Omaha and undoubtedly there is an under standing between the two men.
 NOAMh1B tO NUMco8ls
 The Bryan men make no conceal ment. They say they intend to light Governor Johnson for the delegation and that the 1ght Is now on.
 "Of course Johnson is a candidate for President" says Manahan, 'and of course we are going to fight him for the nomination. Johnson has not come out and announced himself as a candi- date. but he has told different people about his presidential aspirations.''
 As long as the Bryan men remained passive and did not ask for an instruct- ed delegation from Minnesota, John- sons boom" continued growing until 1t assumed huge proportions. Then the Bryan people got scared and de- termined to head on Johnson. They declared the boom for Johnson to be only complimentary affair and not to be taken seriously, But they also ad- init that they waited most too long and that the Complimentary" boom has got beyond control.
 Manahan is making capital out of the charge that Johnson has a great deal of the party machinery on his side. and that he Is backed by James J. Hill and the Northern Pacific crowd. The Bryan men realize that they must put up a big fight to overthrow this machinery and that to win this light they must get right down to the voters themselves, without trusting to the. or- dinary party leaders of the State.
 Speakers for Bryan. 4
 Bryan speakers are to be sent into every township in the State, and this work will begin at once. And the for nation of Bryan" clubs--not Demo- cratic clubs-will also be undertaken at the same time.
 At the last election practically all the Populists voted for Johnson for Governor and are therefore registered as Democrats and can take part In 6 Democratic convention. Because of this fact, the Bryan men expect to carry the primaries and to send instructed delegations to the State convention. Bryan's chance lies in arousinR the actuaI voters of the State to the dan ger by which his candidacy is menaced by the Johpson Complimentary" boom. If he can succeed in arousing them to that danger. he may carry the State. If he fails to make them see his dan ger. Johnson Is going to have the vote of Minnesota back of him, and proba- ply the adjoining States as we'll.
 But the Johnson people know that their salvation lies in the apathy of the voters and are doing nothing to arouse them. Johnson denies, but not very vehemently, that he is a candi- NSso' puS ms Arienos continue to talk of complimentary" vote of the state to its 'favorite son."
 With the return of Manahan from Nebraska. the real fight has begun. and until the primaries are closed. 1t will be waged,
 The Minnesota delegation is the first real stumbling block which besets Bryan's path to the White House. and unless he can secure that delegation he knows there is trouble indeed ahead for his candidacY