The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-02-07
VIII SON TOUR WON ALL
MIDDLE WEST; RANKS
OF G. O. P. IN MIDDLE

of the prestige he formerly enjoyed
in the West, is rarely mentioned as
possibility, even were Mr.. Wilson out
of it. His supporters express ''sor-
row. for his apostacy, less because of
his antagonism to the national de-
Tense, policy of President Wilson,
which is conceded to be sincere, than
for his quitting the cabinet under
conditions that, in the opinion of his
friends did not justify such a STEP.
In Nebraska there is raging a fight
that will exercise an important inffu-
ence on Bryan's future. He appar-
entity has subordinated his national
hibition fad. His brother. now the
mayor of Lincoln, has announced
himself a candidate for governor at
the coming primaries.
The opposition, headed by the Dahl
-Metca1f faction, has proclaimed
its purpose to not only trim Bryan's
brother, but to prevent the Commoner
Convention as a delegate from his
own state.
= That Bryan fully appreciates the,
battle ahead of him is evidenced by
the announcement in Lincoln that he
is corning home within a week or
two to confound his enemies. The
opposition leaders predict that if the
hands off they will 'trun Bryan out of
politics.
A report that excites their interest
is that MT. McCombs, the national
chairman, has made deal with Bryan.
There is not the slightest tangible evil
dence to justify such an assertion.
The supporters of the President vefl'e-
mently proclaim the loyalty of the
national chairman to him. They say
he will furnish proof of&the fact at the
meeting of the subcommittee on orr
ganization in ST. Louis next Thursday,
when, it is expected, Bryan's support
ers will attempt to force the election
of temporary chairman of the con-
vention favorable to his interests.
The probability is that Bryan will
not sponsor and such undertaking and
that the selection of a temporary
chairman will be deferred until the
convention meets.
Democratic leaders\who limited at
deal between Bryan and Speaker
Clark have geen reason to Justify their
declaration that the speaker would
not be a party to such a venture, even
if proposed, and there is the uneQutvo7
cal Reputation of Bryan that such a
pact never has entered his head.
AS matter of fact. the speaker has
provided convincing evidence to his
supporters that he is wholly loyal to
the President His friends say he
would not accept the aid of Bryan
even If he thought there was a chance
o winning They know the speaker
has not forgotten his betrayal by
Bryan at Baltimore four years ago.
Missouri leaders predict that the
speaker will prove his allegiance to
the President by springing into the
breach and insuring his state to the
Dem ocratic cause by accepting the
nomination Of his party for governor.
Missouri is going to be a "c1ose
fight according to the most san
guine of the men whose opinions are
worth considering. 1t will require the
the Republicans from carrying it, par
ticularly if the straight goods Re-
publicans and Progressives come to-
gether, as is considered highly prob
able.
The combined regular and Progress
as against 330,746 for Mr.. Wilson.
The hostile attitude of the hyphen
vote, which is about $4,000 in st.
Louis alone, indicates an even larger.
Republican vote than four years ago.
This vote is normally rs per cent,
or $4,000, Republican. Be cause OF
the prejudice entertained by voters of
this class against Mr.. Wilson, it is
now conceded to be 80 per cent, and
was even higher a few months aSo.
Democratic leaders say that Speak
er Clark as the party candidate for
Governor, can win-back a considerable
portion of the alien vote and hold the
normal Democratic strength, admitted
to have been greatly impaired by the
unpopularity of the State dn1ll.hstra-
ton.
The Republicans and Progressives
of Missouri are planning to nominate
their strongest man, former Judge
Lamb, and are figurinG on polling
the entire foreign vote. Hence it is
that the Democratic nomination of
Speaker Clark for Governor is prac-
ticGl1y unanimous among the party
leaders and consequently at variance
with the plottings Of mischief makers
intent upon 1nstigating a rebellion
against President Wilson. who
counts the support of the Speakers
as a most valuable asset.
The injection of Senator Under
calculations of the few leaders who
would prefer a man other than Mr..
Wilson, seems to come from pretty
much the same sources as were iden-
titled with its promotion four years
ago. He is the candidate of .tBig
Business though there is no evil
dence obtainable that the Alabama
Senator has encouraged big Bust
ness to claim him its own.
That the Senator is popular with
some of the, party leaders in the Mid
dle> West there is no denying and
number of the protest. ona1s would
undoubtedly like to see\ him nomI-
natd.
But in the face of the remarkable
reception given the President last
week these men have apparently
all hope of Initiating a
boom for the Alabama Senator and
are now among the 1oudest in pro-
claiming their desireA to make the re-
nomination of the President unani-
nous
Viewed as a whole, therefore. the
present situation in the Middle West
ern States points to but one con-
denomination of the
President without a dissenting voice
from it's delegates in the National
Convention.