The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-24
ALW AVS BRYAN
in BACKGROUND
New Jersey Governor Will Be
Guest of Nebraska Commoncr
at Lincoln, and That Sets
Tongues wagging.
Speaker Is Cultivating
Presidential Plant"
Especial to The mesDispatch.1

In the camp of the Daughters of the
American Revolution and all troubles
buried for the next year. interest again
centres around the national lawmakers
on Capitol Hill and around the presi-
Dental bee that has already begun
to hum and buzz In a tantalizing way
The next six days will see the con-
gressional probe begin to work, when
the operations of the various depart
ments will DC gone into and many state
secrets laid bare. Not only this. but
the real business of electing q Demo
cratic President will be seriously dis
cusscd by the members OF Congress OF
that party in cloak rooms and hotel
Hobbies from now on.
starta Gossip Going.
The Harmon boom. started here a
day or two ago. has been the means
of starting much interesting gossip
along this line. To-day the Washing
ton Times says:
News that Governor Woodrow VIII
son is soon to set out on swing
around the circle for the purpose OF
getting better acquainted with the
West. and that among olAer things,
he Will go to Lincoln and he the guest
Of William Jennings Bryan. has set
the tongues of politicians. Democrats
and Republicans. TO working overtime.
OF course. they have all been expect
ing that Governor Wilson sooner or
later would set out to light some fires
under his candidacy for President, but
now that he is about TO do 1t. It has
started the political gossips to wag-
cling their heads wisely and thinking
out loud
1T has caused the more talk be-
cause Governor Judson Harmon and
his friends are getting extremely. busy
In their efforts 10 stir up Harmon
enthusiasm. as evidenced by the meet
ing OF the Democratic members of the
Ohio delegation in the Office OF Senator
Pomerene last week. The announce
mcnt OF the Wilson foray into the
West and the formal launching OF the
Harmon boom have come about the
same time.
And then there Is the case of
Speaker Champ Clark. Mr.. Clark, in
a quiet way. is giving his presidential
boom no little cultivation. He is some
thing OF IL farmer and knows the ways
of agriculture. The Champ Clark
presidential boom was pretty tender
plant when it began to grow. But
Champ Is watching over 1t, and never
misses a chance to sprinkle a few
drops of the water OF encouragement
over 1t.
Three Possibilities.
LAS the situation stands now there
are Just three men who seem TO be
possibilities for l912-Harmon. Wilson
and Clark. True. William Jennings
Bryan Is like Theodore Roosevelt. So
long as he is around In the vicinity.
and in good health and vigor. no ma
tional convention can meet without
being more or less likely to nominate
him. But leaving him out OF consid-
Grafton. the nomination seems certain
to go to one of the other three.
''Governor Harmon is recognized as
the conservative candidate. IL he Is
nominated 1t will be by the conserva-
tive wing of the party. The men who
named Alton B. Parker in 1904 will
be largely instrumental in naming
Harmon II he is named. The weakness
OF Harmon Is that he seems TO lack
the capacity to draw the votes of the
progressive wing OF the Democratic
party. the Bryan wing. When the
Democratic National Convention is held
1t will be insisted that if Harmon is
named the Bryan men Will desert him.
and that he will be stranded. as was
Parker.
Speaker Champ Clark is in posi-
ton of great advantage in some re-
spects. II the Democratic House
makes record that appeals to the
county it will be great asset TO
Champ. Any good regiment Of soldiers
can mako us colonel n brigadier and
on the same principle, the House may
promote Champ into the White House.
On the other hand. IL the House Dem
ocrnts and the Democrats in Congress
MS body are discredited 1t will 60
hard with Mr.. Clark.
Appeals to Roth Wings.
1T is going to be strongly urged
in behalf of Wilson that while, Harmon
would not get the progressive Demo
cratic vote. and while Champ Clark
would be stronger with the Bryan or
progressive wing OF the party than
with tho conservative end of II, he
tWisom Will appeal to both wings.
He has made q record as Governor OF
New Jersey that has appealed to pro-
gressives all over the country, wheth-
or Democrats or Republicans.
cat the same time, he has n stand
ing with a large element of the con-
seryativcs that Mr. Clark does not pos
soss. AS the man occupying a sort
of middle ground. he is likely to draw
much support from both elements OF
the party.
Republicans as well as Democrats
will watch tho journey Of DR.. Wilson
to the West They will do this, among
other reasons, because they understand
that II tho Republicans nominate Pros
ident Taft and the Democrats name
J,idqop Hnrmop thero will he ,,,or,,
progressives OF both parties who Will
raise the cry that 1t is time for tho
insurgents of both parties to betaleo
4 u Ell yna. To ika v,ands n M 20 :,