Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-08-03
Situation In Georgia Sets
Him Guessing Hard.
He Sees Probability Of Los
Ing Other Southern States.
nsbraskan Busy Pulling Party Wires
And Trying to Hold Votes.

Lincoln, Aug. 2-Strange to say the
situation in Georgia is giving the
Democratic leaders more concern at
present than in any other State. This
is not because there is any fear of
Georgia going Republican, but because
of the fear that the chaotic condition
of the states politics and the personal
strength of John Temple Graves and
Thomas E. Watson may cause heavy
cut in the Democratic majority there.
Saturday. r. M. Hitch. one of the
Georgia leaders and a candidate for
Presidential elector, came to Lincoln
and had prolonged conference with
Mr.. Bryan on the Georgia situation.
Mr.. Bryan himself is taking an active
hard in the matter and has been in
constant communication with Clark
Howell with view to getting out the
full party vote. Mr.. Howell has been
asked to take a new canvass of the
state, showing not only what proper
ton of the voters will support Graves
or Watson, but also what their previ-
Gus party predictions have been. Thls
is for the purpose of discovering
whether the two candidates are to
draw their strength from the old Pop
ulist or Republican following. Tor
whether they are to draw heavily from
the Democrats.
The news from New York that Chair
man Frank H. Hitchcock of the Re-
publican party intends to form an Or
ganiZation in each of the Southern
states was taken here as bearing up
on the Georgia case. 1t is believed by
~. %l~nt ~ L n h
cock does not expect to get any ma
terial increase in the Republican vote,
but that lie does intend to render aid
to Graves as the Independence League
candidate for Vice President, or to
Watson as the Populist candidate for
President, with view to reducing
Bryan's vote there to the lowest point.
While it may be impossible to deliv-
err all the Southern states to the Re
publicans there have been several Oc-
casions on which some of thes states
have gone Popuist either in whole or
in part. North Carolina, for example,
by a fusion between Republicans and
Populists elected Marion Butler to the
United States Senate and had fusion
governor and some Republican con-
There are three items in the Georgia
situation that give concern to the DEM
ocratic leaders: First. the popularity
of Graves and Watson; second, the bit
ter fractional fight between Hoke smith
AMI his opponents; third, the fight
made against Mr. Bryan by the Geor-
gia delegates to the Denver convention.
as a result of which they went home
with wounds still only partially healed.
Mr.. Hitch after receiveing his in
structions from Mr.. Bryan left for
home to report to Clark Howell. Be
fore ne went he said:
Both Graves and Watson are very
popular and have strong folloWings IN
Georgia l don't expect, however, that
thew will do much damage to the DEM
ocrats. Mr. Watson has a personal
| following which sticks to him right
along and which does not increase or
decrease in strength. 1 expect his vote
| to be about what it was when he ran
| for President in 1904. He is highly re-
| garded in Georgia as a brilliant lawyer
| Immensely popular and has great
deal of personal strength. l do not
think, though, that the independence
League will get a big vote, or indeed
| any considerable vote. in spite OF the
| fact that he is on the ticket.