The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-13
BRYAN NO LONGER
 PEERLESS LEADER" Underwood Has Easily
 Taken His Measure" PROBABLE RESULTS
PROBABLE RESUI
Underwood Accordingly Looms Large on Presidential Horizon While Bryan's Sun Has Ap-
 parently Set
By ROpERIcK CLIFFORD

Ky RODERICk CLIFFORD
 Washington, August 2.-(Special)-Pro- bably the most significant political event of the past six months is the break be. tween the democrats in the House oi representatives led by Oscar Underwood and William Jennings Bryan, three times candidate of his party for the presidency
 Already astute politicians of both par ties are trying to figure on the results of this rupture. They are trying to deter mine how far it's effects will be felt in the campaign next year, and what bearing
 it will have upon the next presidential fight.
 Some of the politicians are convinced that the systematic attacks upon the present leaders in the House by Colonel Bryan are nothing more or less than the Nebraskans initiatory moves in a fight to capture the nomination for himself next year. He is being accused by creat- ing distrust in the present leadership, in the hope of creating a demand for his own leadership.
 There are others who contend that the Underwood Bryan controversy means merely that the westerner will bolt the next convention and defeat the election of the democratic nominee whoever he may be. They doubt if the Peerless Leader has another nomination for him- self in mind. but they say he is deter- mined to rule or ruin"
 Then there are few of the optimistic who believe that the whole thing will blow over, and that the Bryan and Underwood elements of the party will get together by the time the big fight comes. They do not explain just how their hopefulness comes about. yet they remain hopeful. There can be no doubt that the present democratic majority in the House is fa- vorable to the Clark and Underwood lead- ership. The practically unanimous ap-
 plause given MT. Underwood when he arose to defend himself of the charge of
 using his power as chairman of the ways and means committee to protect his per sonal interests, shows clearly enough ! that the sentiment there is against the Nebraskan.
 This is the most remarkable phase of the whole situation. There was scarcely democrat in the House who did not cheer wildly when Underwood denounced Bryan. And it was this same House that stood on It's feet and waved tumultuous- " WutI bINdn lOOk HIS sthl Oll lIe llOOT on the opening day of the present session The applause then was for the man, not the political leader.
 Since that time the enthusiasm for the colonel has unquestionably cooled. And this is because the members of the House and the people back of these members feel that MT. Bryan is trying to dictate the policy of the party from his position as private citizen.
 r6a 1fct lf x.rhf fo1, 1,
 Nebraskan framed and put out to be an- swered by all possible candidates for the democratic nomination next year was taken in Congress to be piece of im- pertinence. It was ignored where 1t was not condemned.
 | On top of all this the colonel picked 1 out a list of democrats whom he seemed | to regard as qualified to be candidates l for the democratic presidential nomina-
 ton. While this list included host of 1 the prominent leaders of the party there were a number of big men whom the Nebraskan did not mention. Every friend of possibility not included was, there l fore infuriated.
 These are some of the things which the democratic congressman resent in MT Bryan, and some of the things which have turned the tide against him. No less
 than three years ago a democratic con-
 gressman from New Jersey made bit ter attack upon the great commoner and his speech was received in silence. Not a
 word of congratulation was given him
 not look of approval was cast in his
 direction.
 Now Representative Underwood rises and in five minutes has the whole demo cratic House in an uproar. He tells that body that Bryan has made a false charge
 one that completely discredits the Ne | braskan. And when he does it he gets ar 1 ovation that takes the speaker off his | feet. Old Bryan followers crowd around I him and join in the repudiation of the | once undisputed leader of his party. | And so it happens that the managers | of both parties are wondering what is tc | come of 1t all They all agree that the | colonel has his friends among the peO- pe To deny that would be folly. He has thousands of friends and warm friends too, but he has not the lead ing men of the present day democratic party behind him, and from appearances he will not have them should his ambi. ton lead to another nomination. The effect of this controversy upon the political fortunes of MT. Underwood is being widely speculated upon in Wash ington. Already an Underwood presi dential boom has been started, and this before the break with Bryan. Now tn, House committed itself to Underwood, no only as floor leader, but as violent op ponent to MT. Bryan.
 Some of the Alabamians friends, there fore, believe that this break coupled witf Underwood's masterful handling of tht tariff situation in the House, means tha he is today the most promising man 1T the party. whether in or out of Congress Some of the more enthusiastic believe tha' he can win the nomination of the presi dency, if he conducts himself in the reg ular session A December as he has 1T the special session and he will be in the same rank with Woodrow Wilson, Jud son Harmon and Eugene Foss. Whatever else the present situation has developed 1t has demonstrated the fac | that William Jennings Bryan is no long | CT the peerless leader of his party.