The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13
FRhNCIS WILL RUN ON
Waterways PLbT ORN.
Democrats Are Demonstrating Thelr
Gencralship In Congress-Frnncis
Is Believed to BE Giving n Good
Deal of Outside Aid

David r. Francis, former governor OF
Missouri, is all but declared candidate
for the democratic nomination for Pres
ident of the United States to be made
two years hence. Furthermore, Champ
Clark, minority leader of the House OF
Representatives, is to be his leading sup
porter. and advocate.
Both of the above facts cropped Out
today because of visit Mr.. Francis is
paying to the capital. The excuse for thai
visit is the meeting of the Southern Com
mercial congress, which is gathered here
to talk over plans for the erection of the
so-called southern temple here as "a sort
of connecting link between the south and
New York. commercially speaking
The real reason of the Missourian's
presence, however, is to sound out DEM
ocratic members of Congress upon his
prospective candidacy for the nomination
that has been monopolized by William
J. Bryan of recent years. And his can
didacy for the Senate in Missouri Is only
part and parcel of his higher ambi-
tions. If he can win out In his own state
it is believed by his friends that the
prestige resulting therefrom will aid ma
teeially in the achievement Of his real
hearts desire.
Reason for Conference
The former governor of Missouri and
former Secretary OF the Interior under
President Cleveland has really a better
excuse for his presence than the South
ern commercial congress, but he seems
not to care to use 1t. That reason Is
ri ,or III
reported to the House last night and will
CONG up for debate Monday. Mr.. Francis
is hire to urge the enactment of that
bill and to help work through both the
House and Senate the particular appro-
priations for the improvement of the Mis-
sissippi river and which makes provision
for the ultimate construction of the lakes
to-the-gulf deep waterway. And his ad-
vocacy of that measure is also a part and
parcel of his campaign for the presiden-
tial nomination.
It is the intention of Mr Francis to
make the deep waterway project one OF
the leading features of his platform when
he shall come out in the open with his
candidacy.
But he is not standing for the deer
waterway alone, but for all internal
river improvements as the best way tc
fight the injustice of railroad rates. And
he will use every ounce of influence he
possesses to induce the enactment of the
pending bill. meanwhile advocating the
improvement of every river in the coun-
try that is wide enough and can be deep
ened enough to float barge.
Benefits for South
That sort OF platform will appeal es-
pecially to the south, as a means of cot
ton transportation and because the rivers
there are open the year round. Represen-
| tat "a a1 mr. ipa afo fndo
when he said that by providing for a
four-foot channel in one river in his dis
trict cotton could be taken to the sea-
board for so cents a bale, whereas it costs
S2.5S bale now by railway transporta-
ton.
1t is for his advocacy for the develop
ment of the Mississippi river, though
that Mr.. Francis relys upon chiefly for
support. He Is supposed to have been
the author of the now-famous New Or
leans decalaration of independence by
which the business of all the middle west
pledged themselves and their private
honor ''each for himself and to each 9TH
err to support no man for public office
who would not favor a generous policy
for river and harbor improvement and for
the central valley proposition in particu-
lar.
That Champ Clark is to be the sup
plain by his association with Mr. Fran
els today and the quiet word that has
been passed to the intimate friends of the
minority leader. None of them will talk
for quotation thus far, but In private 1t
is declared that Mr.. Francis is a big
fnan and that the country might go far
and fare worse when 1t comes to picking
a president.
Also. there is evidence that some one
xx-f4t 4, ~ L. L.
to have is directing the minority these
days
GcneraIship of Democrats
The generaIship of the democrats is be-
coming noteworthy The utter lack of
hysteria when the occasion occurs is
causing comment. The absence of any
excitement In the house over the tariff
and the high cost Of living shows that
thek is something in the background.
TfY&e was when Tilman and other fire
hrapds would have simply jumped up and
down when such opportunities presented
themselves. The quite remarkable thing
in the Francis campaign is the recrudence
OF the old Cleveland democracy. With
Francis in the field the two leading cam
didates for the nomination, Mr.. Bryan
grabbed three times, are himself and
Gov. Judson Harmon of Ohio, and both
of them were members of President
Clevelands cabinet Francis as secretary
CT the interior and Harmon as attorney
general Still further the only other
candidate considered as important-Gov-
ernor Marshall of Indiana--was also
Cleveland democrat
Still stranger than that, however. is
the fact that the rank Bryanites of other
days are taking to these candidates of the
old school as a duck takes to water.
Talk to the most pronounced Bryan
man IN Washington and he will say there
Is no opposition to Francis, Harmon or
Marshall
AN Of which shows that the followers
ef Bryan are not only taking him at his
Word and accepting his statement that