Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1908-01-22
PREFER JOHNSON OR
some OTHER CANDIDATE
Southern Members Do Not Favor
Southern Mdn--Are Tired of
Continual Defeat and Want
Candidate Who viii
win.

ty-three OF the 1877 democrats in the
mouse or representatives are opposed
TO the nomination of William Jen-
nlngs Bryan for the presidency by
democratic national convention which
meets In Denver, and will do all in
thelr power to put him aside and
make Governor johnson of Minnesota
or some other man they consider
more available, the nominee.
This fact was ascertained by poll
OF the democratic members of the
house. just completed. OF the l67
me mbers of the minority party In
the house 151 were interviewed. Two
were non-committal. Sixteen were
absent or Ill. All indicated their
choice with the understanding that
their individual preferences should
| not be made public. although the
Bryan men were for the most part
perfectly willing to have their names
published.
Each democrat was asked the fol-
lowing question; What candidate do
you individually prefer today as the
democratic candidate for the presi-
dency?"
The aggregate reply sgnified a
preference on the part of a great
majority of democrats for Bryan, but
net two-thfrds of the number ex-
pressing preference, which any
candidate, To be successful in the
Denver convention, will need. Nearly
all those who voted against the lead
er OF his party in two national cam
paigns prefaced their choice with a
statement that Bryan would prob
! ably be nominated but would be
! likely to be defeated In the election
in November.
The vote was as follows:
Vote I'm the House.
Bryan of Nebraska ..........9S
Governor Johnson OF Minnesota. 81
Judge Gray of Delaware ......1O
Judge Harmon OF Ohio ....
Sen. Cuiberson of Texas. .L...
Gov. Hoke Smith of Georgia ..
Justice White. Supreme court 1
Williams of Mississippi .......1 /
Johnson of Cleveland .......1
Should the states vote in the Dem
yer convention as the choice OF their
representatives in the house would
indicate, the opposition to Mr. Bryan
could muster 31S votes on the first
roll call; within 19 votes of enough
to prevent his nomination. Should
Ohio, where JudsOn Harmon is con-
sldered presidential timber; Texas.
where the democrats would like TO
see Senator Cuiberson made presi-
dent, and Georgia, where Governor
Smith has long been considered avail
able, vote with the opposition to Mr..
Bryan on the first ballot, the total
would be swelled to 432. In that case
Mr. Bryan would receive but 576
votes on the first ballot, with 67l ne
cessary to nomination. In this count
the New England states of Maine.
New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecti-
cut and Rhode Island, which have no
democratic representatives IN con-
gress, but could be prob2sy depend
ed upon to send deleg| ions opposed
TO Mr. Bryan's nomination, are not
included, Their y5tes total so, bring
ing the number of those who might
be opposed to Mr. Bryan on the first
ballot up to 1872.
one Of the surprises brought out in
the poll is the fact Mr.. Bryan failed
To be the preference Of a majority of
the members of the house from
either Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland or Virginia; although
throughout the entire south he has
been considered stronger than any
other democrat in the country.
The southern members of the
house who oppose Bryan were in
clined TO believe that anybody could
carry their section and that there
fore Mr.. Bryan could poll the nor
mai democratic vote there. But,
they said, In order to carry the north
erH states, which have been In the
republican column during the last 10
years, another man than the Nebras-
kan should be placed at the head of
the ticket. Several declared that they
We're tired of seeing the national tick
ct defeated, and desired that a man
should be nominated who could win
The idea Of a southern candidate did
not appeal 10 them very strongly. They
pointed out that the situation I'm Ohio
and New York calls for the nomina-
ton OF a northern man who can car
ry majority OF the votes IN those
states. Those few who favored the
nomination Of Judson Harmon did so
on the ground that he would enable
the democratic party to take advan-
tage OF the factional fight between