Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-01-22
". ]. BRYAN MAY
RUN FOR SENATE
he is BEING URGED TO MAKE THE
RACE AGAINST SENATOR NORRIS
ALSO WANTED TO BECOME
GOVERNOR.

candidate for United States senator
to succeed George w Norris, if he
shows an inclination to make the race
for the nomination in the primary and
a willingness to make a fight for
election after the nomination has been
secured.
Members of that branch in the
democratic party in Nebraska who
have nearly always stood behind THE
Commoner" in his political ambitions
are enthusiastic in urging his candi
oacy, and part of the element which
in recent years has opposed him is
Wiling to remain quiescent, not be-
cause of new born regard for Bryan,
but because he is looked upon as
| preferable to Norris, and the only
democrat in the state who can defeat
the present senator.
Norris, a militant Republican at
the time of his election, and still nom
inally affiliating with that party, was
elected partly by Democratic votes,
some of whom are loyal to him at this
time, but he forfeited the support of
most of them, along with several in
fluential Republicans, when he oppos-
ed President Wilson's war policies.
The antagonism aroused at the time he
lined up with Senators LaFollette,
Stone and others has in a measure
disappeared, and it is generally con-
ceded he will secure the Republican
nomination for a second term. He
has already announced his candidacy.
The men who have started the
Bryan movement say frankly they
have no positive assurance he will
run, and in fact they think it would
require a practical clearing of the
of the track to induce him to an
nounce his candidacy. He has hither-
to refused to enter the Senatorial
race, and has given as his reason that
he was under such debt to men who
aspired to the place that he would
never stand in their way. Some say
he has changed his mind and has a
longing to be in a position to aid the
president in practical way and give
the lie to the charge that he is heart
opposed to the Wilson administration
One argument brought forward in
support of the proposition that ev-
erybody get behind Bryan is that
Democratic leaders are not very SAN
guine of the success in the next Ne
braska election. While he would get
some republican votes, particularly
among those who are enthusiastically
espousing the president's war poll
cies, the fact remains that the Demo-
cratic party is in minority in the
state, and unless it is Bryan the Re-
publicans will line up pretty unani-
mously for their party candidate, who
ever he is.
With the exception of few men,
Bryan among them, the old parties
are so short of real leaders that no.
body as yet has proposed program
that will prevent both of them from
going into the ditch. Some of the old
party men who have dread Of pos
sible wild-eyed theories on the part of
the Farmers Union are beginning to
talk of fusion of~the Democrats and
Republicans to prevent aS too violent
strain on the state government while
the war is on. These conservative
believe the safety of the state govern
ment should give more concern than
the senatorship, and if there is any
impressing of candidates Bryan should
be asked to be a candidate of the two
parties for the governorship. They
think he is about the only candidate
who could command enough of the
radical votes to carry the election.
In support of this argument they say
Have you heard of Senator land
ing in the White House any time in
recent years? Woodrow Wilson was
governor of New Jersey, Theodore
Roosevelt was governor of New York,
William Mckinley was governor of
Ohio. Mr. Bryan, in our opinion, is
still thinking of the presidency. In
that case it might not be beneath his
dignity to be a candidate for the of
fee of Governor of Nebraska"
Whether it be senator or governor
the present prospect is that Bryan can
have the refusal of one