Evening star., 1920-05-27
DARK HORSES MAY
GAIN BY CAMPAIGN
FuNDD|SCLOSURES
Republicans in Chicago Fear
Effect on Candidates.
Wood Losing Ground.
BY \. O. MESSENGER.

Os MESSFNeEn.
CHICAGO. May 27.-Repubiicans ms
drifting into town in advance of the
nauo convention bring accounts
OF the reaction of public sentiment i'm
ihelr sections, growing out of the
campaign expense fund inquiry
They agree in the main that Gov.
Lowden's supporters are not dis
mayed over the disclosures as to the
amount of bis expenditures and that
they have no intention Of yielding to
pressure from the east which may be
brought to bear. urging his elimina-
ton from the presidential race.
Ihe Lowden supporters contend
courage are recognized and that
there is r'evulsion of feeling in his
favor They say, moreover, that the
DeIlei IS spreading among the people
that the inquiry was started in order
to heaG Off Lowden, Wood and. in
fact. al other candidates except Sem
ator Johnson. and that the Califor-
man. was to be the beneficiary of the
cialnor expected to be raised against
the. expenditures Of his rivals.
Predict Strong Reaction.
They report that once the convic-
ton obtains generally that Gov. Low
den has been made a victim there is
d
behalf
Other republicans. while recognize
ing the weight of these contentious
fear that by the time the convention
assemblies the revelations before the
committee will have created SO much
prejudice in the minds of the people
that it will operate to the disadvan-
tage of all the candidates now on the
potential list, and that when the rank
and file of the delegates march in
from the four quarters of the country
they will be heard asking about dark
horses and the "also-runnipg" class.
The johnson headquarters here gave
out several sizzling bulletins COM
menting sarcastically on the showing
made by the Lowden and Wood wit
nesses, and revealing a purpose to
make as much capital for the senator
as possible out of the whole inquiry
Here are extracts from one of them:
In every state where primaries have
been held, to say nothing of those which
SO accommodatingly instructed their
delegates for one or other Of the candi-
dates. the attempt to substitute the pow-
er of money for the free will of the
people has been a public scandal Like
all things done in the dark. such prac-
tices cannot stand the light of day."
Managers Disturbed.
Some of the republican PARTY man
ayers here, outside the camps of the
cayrdidates. are concerned over knowing
whether the democratic national COM
inittee sleuths are collecting file of the
bulletins ~i
Only few republicans Of national i'm
portance have been in and out of Chi
cago since the inquiry started. 4but those
who have talked have all manifested
deep concern over the effect of the dis
closures upon republican prospects in
November
While not wishing to disparage any
ones chances for the nomination, de-
sire to make an unbiased report on con-
ditions, as they are, must induce the
writer to report that outside the Wood
camp the feeling is growing among re-
publicans that the generals prospects
are dimmed by occurrences This, too,
despite the fact that he has, by far, the
largest number of delegates instructed
for him.
Word reaches republicans here from
the east that the belief is steadily
gaining ground among influential re-
publicans of the east. men OF 'Presi-
'dent-maker" class. that when. the free
and open convention allows of the ex-
preston of opinions. and when the
exchanges of views and conferences
among the leaders prior to the con-
vention are held. increasing obstacles
will be found in the generals path to
Aio oCSAA GU SOdf. cNCh IiOW, The
siders, in private conversation, are
speculatilg upon prospective dis
posal of the Wood strength once his
nomination should be shown impos-
sible.
Democratic Taunt.
A facetious democrat. who Joined a
group .of republicans today to banter
them over the fund disclosures, threw
this parting taunt at them, as he mean
dered away:
when your convention meets" he
said. your chairman ought to declare
The first business in order is to prevent
the nomination of Hiram Johnson
The question Is whether any consid-
cradle portion of the Wood delegates
Will swing to Senator Johnson, not
withstanding the fact that they must
OF necessity include many men who
belong to the old progressive faction
and favored Johnson for Vice Presi-
dent In 1912. The johnson managers
are counting heavily on such a move
ment and that was what the democrat
had in mind when he made his obserya-
ton.
The judgment of some neutral oh
servers with whom I have talked here
Is that 1t is unlikely that Senator john
son can command material portion
OF the Wood following, on account of
the bitterness engendered in the pre-
convention campaign. But Senator
Jonnson's supporters in the progressive
states will unquestionabiy exert every
enort to gather in the progressiyes Of
the Wood following