The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-16
LIVELY SCRAMBLE FOR SECOND PLACE
 - Who Will Aid Democratic Standard Bearer? MANY ARE SUGGESTED
Prominent Men Spoken of for First Place Are Unwilling to Take the Vice Presidential
 Nomination
By JONATHAN WINFIELD

w dSn1nEtOH, July O-ASpeCidlJ oilli- clans of Congress all agree that next year will witness one of the most ex- citing races for the presidential demo- cratic nomination that the party has known for 40 years, and now they arc beginning to realize that there will be a second fight. This will center around the aspirations of the various 'possibilities'' for the vice presidency.
 If it were not for the fact that so many of the democratic leaders want to head the ticket and insist that they must be first or not at all, the question of f1ll- ing the second place would be sim pie proposition. It could be some such ticket as wilson and Harmon or liar mon and Foss."
 But nobody imagines that either Gov ernor Wilson or Governor Harmon would be satisfied to bring up the rear. Both of them want to be the main standard bearer, and in this ambition they are not alone Governor Foss of Massachusetts has intimated to friends that he would not take anything short of first and the same Is true of former Governor Folk of Missouri.
 As for Speaker Champ Clark, the vice presidency presents no attraction for him. He would rather be Speaker any day than be vice president In his pres ent position he is a. positive force in the process of law making. If he were to take the office of presiding officer of the Senate, he would be only passive force.
 The fact, therefore. that all of this big timber is bent upon leading the ticket has caused many of the democratic lead CTS now in Washington to cast about for somebody to take the second place somebody who would feel honored with the position and who would not assume that he was doing his party a. favor by allowing his name to go on the ticket As the wiser politicians see it, there are two men in the party who would fill the vice presidential bill on the demo- cratic ticket in every particular. They are F'oss and Folk. For instance, if an eastern man were nominated for the presidency-Woodrow Wilson 1t might be Governor Folk would be the ideal man for the next place. He is westerner and the geographical demands, which all ways weigh in making up ticket would thereby be satisfied.
 If, on the other hand a western man wins out in the next democratic national convention, like Governor Harmon or Champ Clark Governor Foss being an easterner would seem to qualify as no other man in his section. He has car ried a strong republican state and Is looked upon as the most forcible of all the New England democrats.
 But both of these leaders have aspira- tions for something bigger than the vice presidency, and it is not in the least likely that either of them would consent any programme that did not place h0yr at bo of Folk has the indorsement for the presi- dency from his own state, and has been 8 candidate for more than four years for the honor of leading the democracy of the nation in the battle of the ballots In 1912. It Is not thought now that he can be easily pursuaded to yield to his old friend but political rival Speaker Clark.
 Governor Foss is not in the same posi- tion exactly, but he is equally ambitious to be the presidential nominee. His friends gay that nothing could induce him to take anything short of the high est honor, and they say further that they will back him to the last in this ambition. They maintain that he Is de- cidedy of presidential calibre, and that 1t has now been a long time since New England supplied the candidate for the presidency from either party.
 Inasmuch, therefore, as these leading lights will devote their time to scram- bling for the higher honor, the lesser leaders will fight 1t out for the vice pres idency. Among the available timber for this position on the ticket are Governors Baldwin of Connecticut and Plaisted of Maine, both customers. Then there are Governor Marshall of Indiana, Governor Shafroth of Colorado, and Francis J. Kenney, the graft prosecutor of Califor- mia, all of them westerners.
 This does not contemplate the south's interest in the next ticket. There Is no doubt that the south will demand one of the places in the gift of the next national convention. This section has too long done nothing but produce at least one of the candidates.
 In view of the eminent availability of Clark, Wilson and Harmon for the first place. 1t Is obvious that the south could get but the next place. Accordingly southern politicians have already begun to cast about for possibilities. Virginians have put forward former Governor Mon tague and former Congressman Fl. St George Tucker. Maryanders are suport- ing Governor Austin L. Crothers; Geor- gians, Governor Hoke Smith, Tennes- scans, former Governor and former Con- gressman Benton McMillin; and North Carolina,S Julian Carr.
 There are a multitude of old ''war horses' in the south who will be put forward as "favorite sons' and who will be backed for the second place. provided of course the south does not win the first place.
 Thiss makes the contest for the vice presidential nomination all the more promising of excitment. Of course there will be fight worthy of fighting party when the times comes to name the head of the ticket. Everybody knows this and everybody is even now lining up for their best man. Most of this work will, however, be done before the convention. State delegations will be. pledged to Harmon Wilson or Clark before the cli- max comes, relieving the situation at the convention.
 But few delegations will be pledged to vice presidential candidates. Only the states putting forward a candidate will instruct fits delegate whom to vote for for second place. It has always been customary for the convention to be foot loose in regard to the second place in order that 1t may adjust itself to con- ditions which cannot be ,foreseen.
 Explanation Wanted
 From Judges Library.
 "Oh, are you Mrs. Blizzer?' asks the iyivac cious and beautiful woman. on being to her. 'I have often met your husband. I must congratulate you. He is always such a happy looking man.