The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-18
n BRYAN 70 srrr AsInEs
Revival Of Campaign for Johnsen
Deemed Of Utmost Importance.

Deemed Of Utmest Importance.
Summers Washington Special to Chi
cago Record Herald.
Persistent efforts to start 2 real cam
paign in the interest Of Governor john
son Of Minnesota for the Presidency,
the announcement by persons claiming
to speak for the Governor that he viii
consent 70 run and in due time 4. an =,
Johnson headquarters are soon to be
established In Chicago. Washington
and New York. have revived specuia-
son a. 70 tss s,n q me Dene
than a cut-and-dried Bryan ratihca1
tion meeting.
Has Governor Johnson changed his
mind ABOUT being candidate y soi
interest to the politicians at present, In
view Of the statements OF those pro-
Tossing to speak for the Governor, es-
Rs sass thai ss th seeas
will declare himself in the race in q
public speech next month. II Cover
nor johnson has altered his position
emphasized In repeated interviews 70
didate for the Democratic nomination,
he must have COCO reason. He 10 re-
garded as too astute to enter know :
ingly into q hopeless contest.
That a contest against Bryan for the
nomination would be hopeless this year
10 not, as heretofore the opinion In
Washington. 1t is the opinion OF the
srasns sa%s s Es Is Rs
Johnson, there is the best Of authority
for. stating. has held this opinion. and
there is no reason to believe he has
changed 1t even under the pressure Of
the enthusiastic politicians. which Is
often 50 Irresistible to the most level
headed OF public men. But has Cover
nor johnson heard neutrality-suspicious.
a WHtmnAF wQftAd nnrth ward from Lin.
coin Neb.. indicating that after all
Bryan will not accept the nomination
generally believed TO be within hts
Gfesp7 Has the Minnesota Democrat
Ing, keep strongly In the public eye
and hold himself in readiness for sone-
thing to happen at the critical nourE
r.esSsa 81 TSs e aorrs
spoiident, there was q discussion Of the
democratic situation at the White
House. in the course OF which admon-
ishmsnt was as given BY p9liti .S OBJ
tional field that the Republicans should
NOT make too sure that they would
have Bryan for their opponent tfis
year yea. 70. foT nt the
cd. It is stated that when the admin
istration officials assembled. including
President Roosevelt. heard the story or
observations and deductions drawn ny
cations In certain Democratic circles.
there was admission that the situation
depicted was worth thinking about at
least.
Bryan will not be the candidate and
will voluntarily refuse the nomination
for several reasons:
First--IIs cannot be elected against
either Taft or Roosevelt. and is con-
WINGED that one or the other OF them
will be the Republican nominee.
Second--His ambition IL to continue
the biggest Democrat on earth, and ne
realizes that another defeat at the polls
will put him down and out.
Third--lf his party be successful un-
der another leader he would be the
power behind the throne and suffer no
who now worship At his feet.
Fourth--If his party be defeated. as
he thinks probable with Taft or Roose-
Welt heading the other ticket ibis act
cause not the unanimous choice OF the
Democrats would boost his political
fortunes, increase the power OF has
Commoner and continue him a. the
form. He wonld have the laugh on his
enemies, who have figured on getting
rid ~ Bryan by letting him hang him
IN ampfificatior OF the paragraphs
above II may be said that the belief ex-
lists that Bryan Is more concerned over
the conservation Of his worldly and
material fortunes than he Is over the
The belief IL expressed that the mon
ey bug" has bitten the peerless one"
harder than might be expected from
his past aversion to the plutocrats. He
his writings He might become more
than a millionaire If he keeps to the
front, and there is the suspicion thar
he Is wise enough to trim his sails so
as to keep we'll within the money;
There are two subreasons to the I'M
puted Bryan belief that he cannot be
elected. In the first place, there would
or Roosevelt the Republican nominee.
and the policies pledged to be contin-
ued would be policies that Bryan him.
self has Endorsed in large measures.
Barring the possibility of business de-
preston, which might lead voters to
cast their ballots against the party In
power for no logical reason. taeiO
would be no incentive for the people
to seek radical change Of adminis-
Iration.
In the second place, other things be-
ing equal, Bryan would have no news
paper support from the metropolitan
press. In that respect he would be
even worse OF than In 1895: and in that
year the overwhelming majority for
Mckinley in the electoral college was
brought about by the educational infiu-
else, although the Bryanites have In
sisted it was Mark Hanna's barrel.
This year Bryan not only would lose
the support Of the old-line Democratic
papers, which now are rapping him
without mercy and which would like
nothing better than to elect a Repub-
lican IN order to put him out OF busi-
ness for keeps. but he would not even
have the support Of Hearst, according
to authoritative announcements al
ready made. In support OF the theory
presented in this article, 1t Is said that
Bryan considered all these things and
weighed the consequences.
Bryans natural course, II the theory
under consideration be correct, would
probably at Denver. just as the nomi-
nation was to be handed him and then
hand It back as the act of the man
making the greatest OF earthly sacri-
fees in the face Of possible gratt1ca-
tion or highest ambition.
What a sensation II would be! The
convention hall and the land would
ring with applause of the aet--with
paeans OF praise for the man who had
performed an unprecedented act In be-
half Of harmony for the party he loved.
The cross of gold and crown OF
thorns" speech would be eclipsed- Bry-
an would have won the greatest tri-
too good for him after that.
There would have to be new presses
to supply the demand for Bryan's pa
per. The people would mock in great
err crowds than ever to hear him lee
ture. His friends would be cemented
to him stronger than ever, and-there
would be a future in politics. Bryan
If anything should happen to maAs
BRYAN PASS the nominal leadership of