Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-07
BRYAN IN LEAD.
Washington Politicians Think He Will Get Nomination Hands Down.

| " dSuluSl lOll, b. N,. .hdI Ih i. dat
 William J. Bryan will be nominated
 for the presidency by the Democratic | National convention at Denver next
 July now is conceded generally. 1 Political Washington believes now that the last flicker of opposition to the Nebraskan has been seen and that he will be handed the standard of the | Democratic hosts without open oppo- sitiOn.
 The boom for General Johnson, en- gineered by former Senator William A. Harris of Kansas, has petered out
 Johnson, himself, has tossed the pro- position into the air. He says that he will not permit the use of his name as a candidate against Bryan. His reasons are we'll understood. He practically has concluded arrange ments to go on the lecture platform. The work he has mapped out for him. self is congenial and lucrative. As a business proposition, he can make al most as much money in the delivery of lectures as he would receive in salary as president. At the same time he would be taking no chances and would be building up his per. sonal strength in every part of the country. Governor Johnson is yet a young man. He is able and ambi- tious That he has aspirations of political sort is not doubted. He would like to be president of the United States. He does not care. however, to undertake contest for the office at this time. He believes that the time for his contest is moi ripe He is for Bryan and has said so frankly.
 Despite the presence of former Sen atOr Harris, the head and front of the Johnson movement, the Democratic State convention of Kansas a few years ago enthusiastically endorsed Bryan. Curiously enough, MT Harris's ambitions to return to the senate were not caught in the cOgs of the convention and he. probably, will lead the democrats of Kansas in their contest for control of the legislature. He has abandoned. however, any hope of bringing about the nomina ton of Governor Johnson. His friends in Washington say that the Denver convention will be a Bryan ratifica- tion meeting and that substantially the only contest that will be made will be for the vice-presidency.
 That Bryan is not the choice of the democrats in congress has been ap- parent for a long time; but he evil denily has the democratic hosts oi the country with him and they, ant not the congressman, will make the nomination.
 \ strong feeling is being manifest ed among not only the democrats iT congress. but also among those whC are visiting Washington at this time that NIT Bryan this year has far more than mere fighting chance tC win at the polls That is the view of the situation taken by men. who heretofore. have been opposed 10 the nomination of Mir Bryan a third time The opinion is general that. before the public of the country. hs is stronger than he was in 1906. when # is conceded. he had the OpD0si tor badly frightened. In 1900. of oOu ee he was beaten from the start Tkis year both republicans and democrat believe that he is likely to give say candidate nominated at Chicago hot argument M
 This opinion is entertained. bel. cause it seems likely that. for the first time in a presidential contest 1Ir Bryan Is likely to have the sup port of united democracy No fac tionaI divisions are probable He will bs supported by all democrats. be- cause there are 10 lines of eIezvsaEs snsng them now. The situation fsi zuok kaI0us. but it forecasts one of the noss Nnteresting. if not exciting sampsens in the history of American