Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-10-10
STATES
ARE DISTURBED
INTERESTIN CONDITIONS SOUTH
OF MASON AND DIXON,S LINE
WHICH GIVE TAFT A CHANCE
TO BREAK SOLID SOUTH.

the country are political conditions
more interesting, more involved. than
they are in the Southern states. The
section of the United Staes lying
south of Mason and Dixon's line,
which are generally counted safely
Democratic, is badly torn up this
year. There is not the slightest
doubt that there is a strong inc. in
alton ON the part of many conserva.
tive SOntherners to break away from
what is known as the Democratic
party There is chance for Taft in
one or two southern states besides
Maryland, while the Souths Repub-
lican membership in the house is ex-
pected to be increased materially.
There is that in the makeup Of
the grea~ Ohioan that make Snuther-
ners like him. His earnestness of
purpose, his high sense of honor, his
Well-estahlished reputation for fair
dealing and his unsullied record, as
a public Oh cial are we'll known to
Southern men. Many of them have
come in personal contact with him
during the past five or six years and
he enjoys great popularity through
out the Sou tn
With the exception of Texas and
Arkansas, there Was hardly South
ern state whose headers wantefl Mr.
Bryan to DE nominated In the Den
Yer convention. They fought hard
against it. and conld the supporters of
Judge Gray of Delaware and Goxer-
nor johnson of Minnesota have been
drought tQgether, the Nebraskan nev
Ter would have received the nominal
tion. At a conference held in WaAh-
ipgtop in March, which was attend
ed by the headers of the Gray and
Johnson supporters and a number of
Snuthern senators and representa-.
thXes, 1t was cnclnsively shown
that Bryan could be tlefeated at Den
ver If the two forces would combine
against him But nlther would sgiva
way to the other and so the matter
was dropped, the .Sauthern men gave
UP IN disgust and many Of them, ELL
ectesd as delegates to the Denver cont
vent I'M, stayed away anu sent alter!
mates.
ThF as particularly true OF Louis !
lana, only few a6 whase leaders APP
pearesd .at Denver. In Alabama half
the beasders were alreauy committed
to Johnson, but lll-adHisem msuna-
gers of ul4he Mfnnsxutans campaign,
whose zeal out ran their discretion,
gave pub Hcity to the Tact too se1zn,
Iand the 'Bryanites we're able to head
held. Still, most Nf
the Alabannans are but luke warm
in their support of the Nebraskan.
Representative Clayton of thxt
state was chairman OF the Denver
convention, but his is an individual
support. North Carolina and South
Casplina were for Bryan. So was
Texas, overwhelmingly. eorgia was
ha1flhearted. as was Virginia. most
of whose leaders. including Senator
Martin, both OF ~ HON have been OPP
posed to Bryan. Miss!ssippi's strong
est pueiic man. John Sharp WYrfiams.
now member of the house, but soon
to represent his state in the senate,
split with the Nebraskan two years
ago, when the latter returned from
his tour abroad and declared for the
ownership of railroads.
In Kentucky BYyan's interference
ia the senatorial fight made him
many enemies among Democrats. The
Deelocrats did not want to elect
Beeekham to the senate. but BrayH
told them they should DO so. Where
upoE they tusned aro,iuV and elect
ed a Republican when they had
maiosGty of foAr votes Oh joint bal
lot. The result of that niix-up left
she Democrats sof Kentucky badly
split. The chances are, that while
the state may - Democnstic, its
Vote in the electoral college is like
~ TO be afvided.
an Tennessee the Republicans. who
hsrse been engaged In a faotional
fight for two years, have gotten to-
gethsr. The Democrats are BADLY
spit up over local issues and the
have an excellent chapce
to elect a coupe of congressman and
no small chance to get part of the
electoral ticket.
Georgia Is rent in twain over local
matters. in the spring Hcke Smith
was badly beaten in the Democratic
primary for the gubernatorisl NOM
ination by Joseph NJ. Brown. Tom
Watson, running on the Populist
ticket for the presidency, is very
strong in his native state. Many OF
the Smith Democrats are tut with
knives for rown. They intend throw
ing their strength to Watson and
his state ticket in the hope OF de-
feating Brown. Sons or the wisest
in Georgia are predicting
that the fractional fight among the
Democrats will result in the election