The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-14
JOHN W. KERN IS ALSO
 VISITOR ID NOMINEE
Question of Chairman of National Com mittee Has Not Been Settled and Now Lies Between Mir. Cam
 pau and Ollie James.

Fairview, Lincoln, Neb., July 13.-Sam- uel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, will support William J. Bryan in the coming presidential cam paign. In political circles today this an nouneement overshadowed all others, even the arrival of John w. Kern, the vice presidential nominee While MT. Gom- pers' support was promised to the ticket he specifically denied any present inten- tion of taking the stump in the coming campaign. Reports gained currency that the labor leader would speak for Bryan, but he made no such announcement. He left Falrview after 15 minutes interview with MT. Bryan.
 At present it is believed there will be no need for Mr. Gompers' services in an oratorical sense, and Mir Gompers does not expect to be called on to speak pub licly in the campaign.
 The republican convention, Gompers as- serts ignored the demands of labor while the democrats acknowledged them in their platform. His course, he says, is clear and he will do what IS demanded of him in the interests of labor as best impressed in the platform adopted at Denver. As the situation is at present, MT. Gompers efforts can be better expended elsewhere than on Che rostrum.
 In his interview with Mir Bryan, MT. Gompers was attended by Frank Morri-. son, secretary of the federation, and James Duncan, also labor leader.
 The representatives of organized labor and the vice presidential nominee, John w Kern, reached Bryan station" by the trolley car MT. Bryan. in his neg lected Fedora hat and alpaca coat, went out to greet them.
 ''Ah there is the vice president" ob- served the leader of the ticket, smiling and extending his hand. What MT. Kern said in reply was lost Tn the confusion, hut his smile was reassuring as he shook hands vigorously with the standard bearer of his party.
 The presidential and vice presidential nominees, arm in arm, led the way to the Bryan home, followed by Abraham Sim mons, delegate at large to the conven- tion; John E. Osborne, member of the state central committee of Indiana, and U S. Jackson, chairman of that commit tee. MT. Jackson, after talking with MT. Bryan, declared that Indiana would go for Bryan by 10000 votes. He based this prediction on a canvass which, he said, he had been making since the middle of January. He anticipated the enrolment of many Roosevelt republicans on the Bryan list.
 MT. Bryan told his visitors that it had / been reported he would make a front porch campaign. He was by no means certain of this, but admitted that he had promised to make a speech in Chicago on Labor day Aside from this date the candidate for the presidency had made no plans
 Interest today naturally centered in the visit tomorrow of members Of the new national committee. Dr. Hall, na- tional committeeman from Nebraska. yes- terday stated that the chairmanship of the committee lay amongst Ollie James of Kentucky, Campau of Michigan, Lamb of Indiana, and Atwood of Kansas. To- day speculation on the situation had mar roWed down to Campau and James and to the latter largely because MT. Bryan has expressed such great admiration for his political and intellectual qualities, and to Campau because of his admitted busi- ness ability.
 David R. Francis is out of it because of his own plea that though stories of his connection with Standard oil were un- true the libels were sufficient to prevent his running for any office. Tom L. John son has been eliminated, it is said by his fiat refusal to occupy an office where he might be asked for legislative favors in exchange for campaign contributions MT. Johnson has admitted Wall street connections, but none with whom he would care to mix politically.
 Current gossip tonight had narrowed the contest to Campau of Michigan and Lamb of Indiana. Neither has expressed himself as desiring the position but neither has denied ambition in that di recton. Campau has been defeated fol the national committeeship from Michi gan, but his business ability is undis puted; Lamb is credited with marked in fiuence in his home state and the peculiar abilities which make for a successful campaign manager. Thus it Is on the ev, of the meeting of the national committe, with MT. Bryan tomorrow.
 MT Bryan does not desire to name tn, chairman himself, but the absence of in itiatiye on the part of his supporters probably will compel him in the end t, name the man. No man in America il more admired by Mr. ~Bryan than Olli, James of Kentucky, yet MT James, II all probability, will not be named a chairman of the national committee, fo he himself has denied any of the requi sites which make for successful cam paign manager On the other hand. MT Campau is recognized as having all tn characteristics of the manager of politica warfare. MT. Campau is not an orator o national attainments, but he Is bushes man whose merits have not been at tackled
 Thus the situation stands, with not few believing a dark horse may be SC lected before the committee adjourn from Lincoln.
 Eminent Belgian Dead.