The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-01-20

For some weeks past it has been
apparent that in the race for the
Democratic presidential nomination,
Gov. Wilson. of New Jersey, was in
the lead. In the discussions of the
situation among the scores OF DEM
ocrats attending the meeting OF the
national committee last week in Wash
ington, it was the consensus of opin-
ion that it was the field against VIII
son, with Wilson gaining.
This situation has developed extra
ordinary efforts to find something in
the record of the governor where
with his hold on the mass of the
people could be weakened. He has had
such a short political life that no
material for warfare could be found
to his detriment. So his desperate
antagonists turned to his private corr
respondence and unearthed the letter
to Joline. written four years ago. in
which he expressed his opinion of Mr..
Bryan's campaign very freely. This
was sprung at the meeting of the ma
tional committee, on the calculation
that 1t would cause counter attack
by Mr.. Bryan and lose to Wilson the
support OF many friends OF the Me-
braskan in the west. It proved not
only a failure. but boomerang. It
strengthened Wilson with conservative
Democrats, who had been made to be-
lieve that he was progressive to the
extreme of radicaIism, and it did not
cause any reply from Bryan.
Now his desperate enemies have
turned to the fact that Harper's Week
~ has ceased to support Gov. Wilson
and have brought about statement
from Hon. Henry Watterson of The
Louisville Courier Journal as to the
details aof that development. This
statement appears elsewhere in this
issue.
The substance Of it is that Gov.
Wilson became convinced that Harp
er's Weezly's attitude was injurious
to his prospects He was urged by
numerous friends over the country for
several weeks to bring about a modera-
ton of the Weekly's course. Mr.. Wat
terson was one of the friends taking
that view. 1t appears that he went
with Gov. Wilson to see Col Harvey,
the editor of Harper's Weekly, to dis
cuss the matter. Mr.. Watterson says
that Nothing of a discourteous nature
(even of an unfriendly character)
passed during an interview of more
than an hour" But the result was
that Harper's Weekly discontinued its
support OF the governor
Back of all this is the understand
ing that Harperss Weekly, one of the
publications of the great Harper
house. Is controlled by a syndicate of
wealthy New Workers, of which ]. P.
Morgan is the head. Friends OF Gov.
Wilson in the west found that his
enemies were saying that he was the
candidate brought out by Wall Street,
as evidenced by the course of Har-
per's. Now, however, that Gov. Will
son, after several months of urging.
has had the boldness to act on many
friends advice, he is being accused by
Mr.. Watterson of a certain austerity
and lack OF sense of political obliga-
ton.
The whole affair looks like tempest
in a teapot. Col. Watterson has. of
course. made the statement because
he has been urged to do it by many
persons and some newspapers familiar
with the gossip about it. He shows
much reluctance, and has fortified
himself with statements both from
Gov. Wilson and Col Harvey as to
their recollection OF the hours inter-
view. One of his most notable state
ments is this:
Il had myself. as far back as Oc-
tober, suggested to Governor Wilson
that, in view Of his supposed en-
vironment. it might be wise for Col.
Harvey to moderate somewhat the
rather aggressive nature OF Harper's
Weekly in the Wilson leadership.
am not certain that had not said as
much to Col. Harvey himself
Yet when Gov. Wilson finally after
great elaboration followed this advice.
and that, too. without anything OF g