Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1908-05-14
HIS BOOM IS GROWING
Many Democrats Think John A,
Johnson Can Win.
TARIFF REFORM THE SLOGAN

New York, Michigan and Illinois rail-
ing In Line For tho Minnesotan
a. Their Choice For the Presidential
Nomination In July.
At the Johnson headquarters In Chi
cago there are signs Of satisfaction
with the turn the presidential nomina-
ton contest Is taking I'm the Democratic
party. AS tie Johnson managers see It.
the recent action of the New York state
Democratic convention and the Mich
igan Democratic state central CON-
mittee marked a significant change In
the contest. From now on" said r..
b. Lynch, who is In charge of the
Johnson campaign, you Will hear
much similar news. From now on
people who read the papers will know
that there is lively contest on, good
natured though 1t shall be so far as
we are concerned, for the Democratic
nomination at Denver. The two OFF,
cial actions Of late-I refer to the
course taken by the New York state
convention and the Michigan state
committee-are merely indications Of
what Is going on beneath the surface.
The fact Is the rank and file of the
party are waking up to the opportunity
the Johnson candidacy affords. They
are beginning to reflect on what a good
thing victory next November would be
| and to consider that with a new can
didate like Johnson it is not only pos
sble, but probable. The news Of the
action of the Michigan state central
committee was surprise, but none
| the less pleasing on that account 1t
was all the more q surprise because Of
| the fact that we have done no active
work In Michigan and supposed, Of
course, that the state central committee
would indorse Bryan and Campau. We
had received many encouraging letters
| from that state, but did not believe
that the party leaders would refuse an
Endorsement to Bryan and Campau In
| this state, which has been SO friendly
to them In the past
Another thing that is significant Is
| that, although we have made no effort
| whatever to organize In Illinois, quite
| a number of counties are electing I'M
| instructed delegates to the Springfield
convention, and in all such cases fail
ure to instruct means that the delegates
are favorably inclined toward Gov
ernor Johnson. The popular response
we are receiving in Illinois shows us
| that had we been in the field few
| months earlier this state could easily
have been lined up for Mr.. Johnson.
We are receiving a perfect deluge Of
letters from all parts of the state and
largely from friends and supporters Of
Colonel Bryan who believe that the
time has come for new candidate"
| Scores of letters are being received
at the Johnson headquarters from Bry-
an Democrats in all sections of the
country. While as much attached to
| Colonel Bryan as ever, the writer's feel
that 1t would not be wise to nominate
him third time.
| A typical letter is the following from
w. N. Bremen, prominent lumber
dealer at Niles, o.:
Il reply TO you as Democrat
have talked of and pondered over this
presidential election many times and
have found that John A. Johnson is
| the man needed TO lead us to success.
l have worked hard for Bryan in his
last campaigns and fell with him.
am now out for John A. Johnson. We
can win If he Is nominated. l will
talk with our delegate here and urge
him for Johnson. | have told him
Bryan can't win even IL nominated
have quit politics for the past three
years, but will go to work for ]. A. j..
for II we nominate him he will surely
be elected. I will stay with him until
the last vote is counted In November.
Trust me with any political work you
may offer me for his success"
Governor Johnson is q man Of strict
| adherence to political principle. but he
does not believe In confusing every
passing fancy or fad with political
principle He believes that there are a
| few basic political ideas which charac-
| terize Democracy. He is not man
who was a Republican yesterday, a
Democrat today and an independent to-
morrow. Throughout his career he
has been a Democrat
Although there can be no question
that Governor Johnson is believer In
sweeping tariff reforms and believer
In the necessity for vigorous legislation
to meet certain modern Industrial con-
ditions, he has such an abundance Of
common sense, so much intellectual
balance and is so tactful In his meth
DDS that he achieves his ends without
that excessive friction and violent dis
turbance that has been characteristic
Of some of our recent reformers. Gov
ernor Johnson is big man. He Is not
welded to particular political fad.
He Is In craftsmanship something OF
an opportunist. Although guided by
some big principles. he prefers to de-
eide questions as they come up on their
individual presentation. He is emil
nently the man at this time to ill the
Office of president
AS a Democratic candidate he Is
strong, because between his genuine
devotion TO reform and his careful and
80. g. ~.