The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-23
WILSON MAY BE
 TAFT'S OPPONENT. Harmonites Uneasy at His
 Popularity STRONG IN THE SOUTH Public Men Will be Chary in Ex- pressing Opinions, But Few
 Will Oppose Him t = Openly Gf 
By RoDERrcK CLIFFORD

lIdlHlli2 QudTtPlS illNt piot'bNSo ''O '"S tors who have caught the eye of the po- litical bookmakers, and it seems to be an
 assured fact that Woodrow Wilson. erst-
 while college professor, is to be one of the fayorites Governor Wilson is coming at
 rate which is making all politicians sit
 up and take notice.
 | Coming back from their recess visits
 among the folks. at home many of the politicians agree that Wilson is to carry the money in 1912. Even the strong back CTS of Governor Harmon are forced to ad- init that Wilson is growing in support
 the Wilson people-there are not many Of them in Congress, either-gloat over it,
 and the republicans of both House and Senate accept it as the inevitable. The sentiment expressed SO fully just before Congress adjourned that Harmon was leading in popularity and that the sentiment of the country was back of him. has to a great extent been dlssi- rated A month with their constituents has evidently opened the eyes of many of the democratic leaders. They come to Washington with the impression that their people have in some manner imbibed a prejudice against Harmon, and predi- lection in favor of Wilson. This factshas caused senators and representatives alike to go slow in expressing themselves as hostile to Wilson's candidacy. For the next few months few legislators will al- tow themselves to be quoted in the public press on the subject, preferring to await developments in the hope that some one man, either Wilson, Harmon or Champ Clark. will become the accepted Moses. Expression, therefore of support from the leaders and the rank and file is lack ing, because of the embarrassment which might follow any announcement of alle- glance. In the south Governor, Wilson made a tremendous hit on his recent appearance at Atlanta. He was given a great oya- ton there and cold shivers of apprehen- sion were noticeable among the Harmon ties, who felt sure that Harmon would
 be able to swing the solid south to his standard.
 Since that event, however, the Harmon followers are distinctly up in the air. Three months ago these men were list ening as patiently as possible to the foolish talk swirng around the capi- tai and in other political quarters about Wilson as a possible presidential nomi- nee. There was nothing to it then but that Harmon would be the next candt- date that democracy would select Their attitude was something akin to that or tle republican regulars and standpatters, who are amused by the effervesence of such insurgents as Senators Bourne of
 Oregon or LaFollette of Wisconsin. but loaf a Taft WOll1d he renominated.
 But today the democratic attitude has
 changed. No longer are all the leaders
 outspoken champions of Harmon. They
 are not sure of the Ohio leader, and they
 are keeping their weather eyes peeled for Wilson.
 Wilson is not in any sense candi- date for the congressional democrats. | They had selected Harmon and accepted him for the man Of the hour Conse-
 quently they will go slow about chang | ing their attitude. and to change their purpose to the idea that their constituents lean decidedly towards. Wilson is diff f,cult.
 Democrats in Congress represent on an average, rather more conservative view than do democrats en masse throughout the country The democrats who break into Congress are impressed with the
 necessity of getting campaign funds and of remaining in touch with the powers of business which always concern them-
 selves with big politics. Democrats who
 have seen their party defeated because of its radicalism in other years would like to see 1t get in line for q victory now They, had counted that Harmon was just the right man. conservative Ienough to keep the interests in. line; and
 radical enough to suit the progressives. lsl In short congressional democrats had hoped that great financial interests might be willing to stay put of the 1912 campaign, and give democracy at least even chance If Harmon were nominated, With that, the democrats thought they had fine chance to win, for they have become convinced that Taft is weak and
 that the republican party is due for de- feat because of the tariff issue and the high cost of living.
 The radicalism in democracy, however, has asserted itself and from present indi- cations will be hard to mollify. It has
 '.discovered'' Governor Wilson, and eacn week seems to bring him more preemi-
 nently before theepubic
 It is pointed out by democrats that Wilson has had a winter of triumphs, while Harmon has been quiet beneath the government house at Columbus. Will son has kept alive his announced inten- ton of running for the presidency, and has been educating the people to it, while on the. other hand, democrats say, liar non has not done anything spectacular or fetching. m Not the. least significant straw in the drift towards Wilson has been the en- thusiasm for him in the south They are
 declaring down there that he is the great est stump speaker r the country, and, in fact, his record so far has even led re- publicans to admit that Wilson is a bad, man to meet in debate. The south is accepting the Wilson radicalism. and, according to latest advices, the sentiment is spreading to the middle states. Never before in the history of some of the
 states have senators and representatives
 been called upon to explain the reasons why they voted on particular measures
 in Congress. Tt is, therefore, pointed out
 that tho Wilson campaign, which largely
 i1 designed to make the people the real
 rulers of the country instead of a coterie
 of men In the Senate, House of Repre-
 sentatives and White House, is growing
 tremendously. Thus it is said the prop
 aganda favored by Wilson is tending to
 draw the following away from Harmon.
 Should the signs of the times, as pre-
 dicted by some of the leaders, come true,
 it is an assured fact that the next dem
 ocratic nominee will be named by ths
 people.
 John Edwards Is Dead
 London, April 22.-John Passmore
 Edwards, the well known publicist.
 philanthropist and advocate of interna.