Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-03-26
GARDNER SHOWS WHY
WILSON IS STRONGEST
ExpIodeS Stories About the
Maine Delegation - Ma
jority for Wilson
BY RALPH SMITH.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., March 23.-Eight
of the y uninstructed delegates to the
Baltimore convention from the state of
Maine are favorable to the nomination
of Woodrow Wilson, according to Sena-
tor obidiah Gardner. who returned to
Washington yesterday from Maine, where
he attended the state convention. He
states that the other four delegates are
divided between Governor Harmon and
Speaker Clark, but may be relied upon
to vote with the majority of the delega-
ton for the nomination of Governor
Wilson.
representation Underwood, of Ala
bama, has no following among the dele
cation, and his name was not seriously
considered as a presidential possibility by
the delegates to the state convention"
said Senator Gardner. 1T would be sui
cidal for the Democratic party to nomi-
nate Mr.. Underwood for the presidency,
but l am not disturbed by this thought
as / fully realize that his candidacy is
confined to a few states and that the
Baltimore convention will never select
him."
WILSON A WINNER"
Senator Gardner repeated what he has
said before, namely, that with Woodrow
Wilson as the Democratic candidate the
state of Maine will cast her electoral vote
for the Democratic nominee for the first
time in half a century. He does not
believe that either Speaker Clark or
Governor Harmon could swing Maine into
the Democratic column, and he declares
that it is the recognition of Governor
Wilson's strength as a candidate that
makes 1t certain that the New Jersey
executive will get Names II votest in
the Democratic convention, notwith-
standing the absence of instructions.
Il have been considerably amused by
the misrepresentation concerning the
Maine Democratic conventions failure to
instruct for Governor Wilson," con-
tinued Senator Gardner. t'These misrep-
reservations will act as a boomerang
Immediately the truth is known about
the motives that actuated the Maine
Democracy in Withholding Instructions.
The sentiment among the delegates to
tn estate convention was overwhelming
for Governor Wilson. The fact that
out of the 70 delegates were picked
from among Wilson's supporters is proof
enough of this.
But the Democratic leaders of the
state valued party harmony more than
the majority did any temporary advan-
tage that might accrue to any presi-
Dental candidate through an instructed
delegation to Baltimore. Our state, you
know has been a Republican stronghold
for half a century, and now that the
Democrats are in the saddle our leaders
do not want any internal strife that may
endanger future success.
There were a few delegates to the
convention who favored Speaker Clark
and few others who inclined to Gov
ernor Harmon. While. they were in a
hopeless minority, we could see no rea-
son in disrespecting their wishes and
rubbing it in on them. We will need
their help to carry the state for the
Democratic nominee and sending a
solid Democratic delegation to the next
house of representatives
PRELIMINARY CAUCUS.
at was the fear that some of the
most enthusiastic. Wilson supporters
might introduce. resolutions to instruct
the national delegates for Wilson that
moved the party leaders to hold a con-
ference the night before the state con-
vention, to handle such a situation If it
arose. At this conference were both
of the Maine senator's, all of the con-
gressmen, the governor and many influ-
entail politicians from all over the
state. 1t was unanimously decided that
no instructions SnOulO De ADOPTED
though it was recognized that Governor
Wilson was the choice of a big ma
jority of the delegates.
"The conference decided that all reso-
lutions should be referred without de-
bate to the resolutions committee and
that any resolutions proposing to in
struct for any candidate should be pig
eon-holed. The wisdom of this move
was proved the next day, when, as we
expected, resolutions of instruction
were introduced. They were referred
to the committee, and never brought to
light, after which the convention pro-
ceded to elect IL uninstructed delegates
to Baltimore, eight of whom are out
spoken advocates of Gov. Woodrow
Wilson"
Senator Johnson, of Maine, who is
himself one Of the delegates to the Bal
timore convention, and who, by the
way, is one of the non-committal dele
gates, corroborates what Senator Gard
ner has to say of the convention.
1.-THE sentiment was strongly in ia
vor of Governor Wilson, but in the in
terest of party harmony the leaders
decided that no instructions should be
adopted" said Senators Johnson. THE
10 delegates elected to the Baltimore
convention go uninstructed, but ma
jority of them are for Wilson's nomi-
nation. He is undoubtedly the strong
est Democratic candidate before the
people of Maine"