Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-06
CONTEST tt Be E|[RC[.
Wings of Democracy Show Signs
of Not Flapping Together
at Denver
oLD-LINERs FAVOR JOHNSON
Cleveland Wing of Party Still Antaso~
nistic to Bryan New York Inter"
view Check to Nebraskan = Much
Depends on Attitude Of the soIie'
South.
oLD-LlNERs FAVOR JOHNSON

Soutns
Washington, Jan. 6.-The interview
with Governor Johnson in the New
York World is likely to start move.
ment within the democratic party
which will make the Denver conver-
ton one of the historical gathering
Of American politics. Should the anti
Bryan men win, johnson may, or he
may not, benefit, but it looks now as
if the old-line Cleveland democracy of
the east is anxious to line up in his
support and make fight to bring the
party back to the moorings which IT
forsook when Bryan and free silver
produced the tidal wave that swept it
away.
At first There was a disposition in
Washington to believe that the gov
ernor had come out too early with
what in effect is his formal bid for the
nomination, but the second thought CT
everybody is that the declaration has
been Well timed. The next sixty days
will probably decide who will be nom
mated at Denver; or at least whether
the man will be Bryan Any movement
to head Bryan off, therefore, must be-
gin now, and the World has succeeded
in persuading the governor to get into
the race.
First Check for Bryan.
Johnson's interview, it is said here.
places him side by side with Grover
Cleveland of 1892 on all the great Is
sues, notably the tariff and the rights
Of property 1t is the first time that
any determined effort as been mace
to counteract the Bryan forces which,
since 1896, have controlled the party.
The Parker movement four years ago
was a step in that direction, but 1t YVES
half hearted, heavily handicapped and
supported only by a fragment Of the
party This time the conservative dem
ocrats hope that Johnson's personality
will overcome the handicap which
Parker carried, and that there will be
no man like Roosevelt as a candidate
on the other side. The situation is al
disposition among democratic leaders
to believe that Johnson is to be tfla
Moses Of the party. These men do not
want to be quoted as yet, but many ut
them are in sympathy with the World
movement and IL the time should come
when It will be safe for them to speak,
they will be heard from.
Demand for the Old Standards.
5a The johnson interview is not only
intended for consumption in the New
England and middle states, Of New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
Delaware, but 1t Is to go into the states
OF the old south, with a view to af-
fecting the opinions OF the rank and
file Of the party there. The demand
for return to the old standard. the
old battle cries. the old type of Lead
ership, and to desert the many "isms,"
and nondescript views promoted by
Bryan, eastern democrats hope, will be
heard with respect and complied with.
It is almost too much to believe that
the movement will be successful. but
that it is to be made there can be no
question, and Johnson has been placed
in the forefront Of 1t. Whatever else
may happen, Journal readers may
make up their minds that a terrific
struggle is imminent, should the move
ment develop strength, and that the
old conservative wing of the party.
putting forward d man of the younger
generation as nominal leader, is pre-
pairing for It.
"shouId the Movement Fall
Should the movement fail, which 1t
may easily do, it is already apparent
that this conservative wing of the
party will fight Bryan at the polls and
again render his election impossible. 1t
is conceded that the world has already
gone so far as to forbid its support
of Bryan, and that no democrat can
be elected without New Yorlls elector-
al vote. The republican outlook be-
comes increasingly gratifying as the
chance for rip-roaring democratic
fight improves.
In this connection it may be said
that the republican reactionaries, who
oppose Taft and the Roosevelt policies
generally, will watch the progress OF
the democratic mix-up with undis-
gufsed interest. A split in the demo-
cratic party this year will give them
much courage and make them willing
to go to greater lengths than other
wise would be safe in forcing one of
their men on the Chicago convention.
This phase of the situation will bear
good deal of attention during the next
few weeks.
Would Bryan "suIk?"
Should the democratic conservatives
prevent Bryan's nomination at Denver,
it will then be up to Bryan to say
whether the party is tor have any
standing in the campaign. If he should
gracefully accept the situation and
throw himself heartily in the campaign
for the nominee it is believed here that
it will develop situation that will
bring on presidential campaign pos
sessing every element of interest. But
if he should sulk, his followers will
sulk with him, and the party would
probably go down to defeat.
The situation presents so many In
teresting possibilities, that the tempta-
ton to speculate on what may happen
is very great. And that will be tht;
state Of affairs until something can be
known of the strength this conserva-
tive movement will develop.
English in England.
philadelphia Record.)
Professor kuhnemann of the Uni
versity of Berlin was tremendously i'm
pressed, on his recent visit to Boston,