The Washington times., 1912-01-05
TAREATSOF STRIFE
ALARM DEMOCRATS
ON EVE Of Meeting
All Anxious to Know If
Bryan Will Deliver
Ultimatum.
tcontinuea from First Page.l

CONTINUED from F1rst Page)
ocrats have troubles Of their own.
Everybody is anxious to know II Mr..
Bryan will at this time make declara-
ton equivalent to an ultimatum to his
party, indicating that some Of the as
pIrants will not do. Suspicion Of this
character was given color when II be-
last speaker at the jackson Day BAN
quet on Monday night at the Raleigh.
It was explained today, however. that
this position of advantage was not CIV
of its strategic Importance.
Fact is," said an eminent Democrat,
that where MacGregor sits Is the end
Of the table; and when Bryan has
wants to follow him: the silver-tongued
boys don't want their efforts to be con-
trasted with the golden-throated har-
monies that the Nebraskan exudes It
have an oratorical strike"
So the story about Bryan being placed
last In order that he might issue few
ultimatums is entirely. apocryphal; at
The big fight before the committee
Will be over the Tennessee and Penn
sylvania contests. The Denver conven-
e a IN state aaSpseS se tse Ros
cies In the national committee. Before
that the national committee had done
this. In 1908, the Bryan-controlled
NJ nG GSfes out oe 81 the NATIONAL commit
Kerr died, and the State committee
named Guffey for the vacancy.
He Was Suspicious.
Bryan has always believed that Guffey
had q Standard OIL sort of scent
about his person. That suspicion was
strengthened when. in 1910, the Demo-
Gratis had fine chance to elect a gov
ernor. 1t was conceded that II they
nominated Larue Munson he would win.
Munson seemed certain to be nominated
last hours the Guffey influence got him
to withdraw, and Grim was named
Grim was so Objectionable that the
keystone party polled three times as
the Republicans elected Tener by a
close plurality.
It was charged that. in taking Mum
son out Of the fight and thus forfeiting
was working with Penrose. the Repub-
lican boss; that Munson was promised
a big judicial job for Withdrawing. He
just the same. The Pennsylvania Demo-
Gratis in Congress got busy and induced
the State committee to rescindits
choice OF Gufiey as nationai commit commit,
: Palmer. The Guffey folks say It's pre-
posterous for State committee to as
sumo the right to make a new national
ssiaes II: they ssy|auffey is still conn
mitteeman, and he's going to prove 1t.
On the other hand, Congressman
Palmer is equipped with one of the
ssen in captivity since the race Of
ichthyosauri was frozen out Of exist
ence in the Ice age. and A. Mitchell
says he's national committeeman, and
vuyNn hoN fNh nv. WOO ytvH hn o.,
niture. There you are. Bryan ~ for
Palmer; the Wilsonites are expected to
be ALSO
Bad Tangle.
The Tennessee case is a fearful tan.
gle. Robert E. Lee Mountcastle was
elected national committeeman at Dem
ver He says he is still committeeman.
The Patterson faction in Tennessee says
John J. Vertrees, late attorney for
Ballinger, is the committeeman
When Governor Patterson was NOM
Tennessee, the Carmack Democracy
bolted and went over to Hooper, indie
pendent Republican. Patterson later,
finding himself hopelessly beaten, with.
Bob Taylor and his fiddle. Mount
castle was leader in this Independent
movement for Hooper, and the old
be a Democrat, and, therefore, can't be
Democratic national committeeman.
While the Mountcastle pot Is black
the Vertrees kettle is decided bru-
nette. Mountcastle is charged with going
over to the Republicans; vertrees is
charged with drawing up the platform
on which Hooper ran, and with writing
into 1t strictly Republican plank on
the tariff question:! You pay your
money and take your choice. The ma
tionh committee will probably decline
to choose. It's course will likely be to
select q third man in the effort to bring
about harmony, and one of the Demo-
cratic Congressmen from Tennessee
will be urged. it is thought, to take the
job.
The Congressman guess they don't
want It. To take that situation would
be putting ones political head into the
factional lions mouth. and the Con-
gressmen don't yearn to have their ca
reers thus uIfeelingly bitten in two.