The Washington herald., 1912-01-04
BRYAN SENTIMENT
GROWING In WEST
Former Candidates Friends
Looking Over the Field.

Fl. H. Hughes. Of Springfield. Mo. for
years Bryan man. but who several
months ago turned TO Wilson and is now
back again in the Bryan camp. has been
on a prospecting tour OF the Western
States as Bryan's representative. He left
for New York last evening TO report to
Bryan the situation as he believes II to
be. Mr.. Hughes said that in all Middle
Western and Northwestern States west
Of the Mississippi Bryan organizations
similar TO that Just started in Ohio are
to be organized and are to faunt the
Bryan gonfalon up 10 the very eve Of the
national convention.
There are Democrats in Washington
with keen perceptions who profess to be-
lieve that the boom for Gov. Foss. OF
Massachusetts. must necessarily be even
tually disastrous 10 Gov. Wilson, for Il
has been proclaimed throughout the land
by Wilson's campaigners that he would
enter the national convention with all
Of New England solidly at his back. Con-
necticut. however. is TO divide the situa-
ton st-n more, for Its delegation is to
declare for Gov. Simeon E Baldwin, and
at the proper political momert the Maine
delegation is to speak up for Gov
Plaisted Only a few days ago Mayor
Fitzgerald. OF Boston, was here dsclar-
ing for Gov. Wilson. aad now the mayor
must support the candidate OF his State,
Gov. Foss. II was also stated yesterday
that the recent activities Of Senators
Watson and Chiffon, OF West virginla,
were a mask for the support OF Repre-
sentative Underwood. Of Alabama. for
President. and Gov. Foss, OF MaSsacnu-
sets, for Vice President.
Gossip of Convention City.
Concerning the city in which the con-
vention Is to be held little interest has
yet been developed. In the gossip the
Harmon folks are said to favor BaItI-
more. the Wilson people Chicago. and
the Champ Clark adherents St Louis.
Frank Jones, First Assistant Postmaster
General in Cleveland's first administra-
ton, has just been installed as manager
Of Gov. Wilson's Chicago headquarters.
while Don NJ. Dickinson, Cleyeland's
second Postmaster General in his first
administration, has been put in charge
of Michigan with the hope that he can
send a solid delegation to the national
convention for the New Jersey man
PennsyIvanIa's Committeeman.
The National Committee at its meeting
affecting its membership. At the Denver
convention in 1905 the contention adopt
ed a resolution declaring that State COM |
mittees had power to I'LL vacancies on |
the National Committee. At that con-
vention Col. James NJ. Guffey, for many |
years national committeeman for Penn |
sylvania, was. in the final analysis. dis
placed by the express command Of |
Bryan. even though the Pennsylvania |
delegation. by a substantial majority, |
had reelected Guffey. Guffey was sup /
planted by James S. Kerr, who died in i
the heat Of the campaign. The Pennsyl- |
Vania State committee met. and acting /
under the resolution Of the national con- l
vention, filled the vacancy created by
kerr's death by re-electing Guffey.
Last spring the Pennsylvania State
committee assembled. displaced Guney
and elected Representative A. Mitchell
Palmer. OF the Twenty-sixth district, ma
tional committeeman. Guffey declares
that no vacancy existed az the time, and
that Palmer's election is a violation OF
the resolution adopted by 'he national
convention. Originally Palmer was rather
inclined to Speaker Champ Clark as the
Democrats Presidential candidate, but I
Gov. Wilson visited influential Democrats
In Pittsburg and Philadelphia and shortly
afterwand Palmer came out for Wilson.
Col. Guffey subsequently followed him in
this political predilection. although Guffey
and former United States Senator James
Smith, jr., OF New Jersey, invariably
fought side by side In half a dozen
Democratic national conventions Quite
a number OF Democratic national COM
mitteemen on the ground yesterday as
serted that they would vote to oust
Palmer and reinstate Gufrey.
A Contest in Tennessee.
The other contest in the National Com
mittee concerns the situation IN Tennes-
see. For years r. E. Mountcastle. OF
Knoxville. has been the national COM
mitteman for the State. In the recent
State election he opposed the regular
Democratic State Organization in the
nomination of a candidate for governor,
and presided at an independent conven-
ton which nominated Benjamin W.
Hooper, Republican, for governor Hooper
defeated the Democratic candidate by L.
300. Almost Immediately the Democratic
State Committee OF Tennessee assembled,
displaced Mountcastle as national COM
mitteeman. and elected in his place W. II
o. Vertrees, Of Nashville. at the time
State chairman. Senator Taylor. senior
United States Senator for the State. Is
standing firmly by Vertrees. because Of
his personal interest in the recent State1
while his conferee, Senator Lea,
Is supporting Mountcastle. Mountcastiel
Is an ardent Bryan adherent. He claims
that his attitude In the recent State
campaign In no way vitiated his national
Democracy.