The courier-index., 1920-01-02
Bryan Looming On
 Political Horizon
Politicians Believe He Plans to Con trol Democratic National
 Convention.


 Washington, Dec. 31.-The shad- ow of William Jennings Bryan is be- ginning to loom larger and larger upon the horizon of democratic na- tional politics. There no longer is any doubt in the minds of the poli- ticians that Bryan is shaping his plans ta capture control of the dem- ocratic national convention, if not the democratic nomination for presi- dent.
 He is unmistakably beginning to reassart party leadership, and all the candidates and prospective candi- dates for the democratic nomination realize that he is power to be reck- oned with.
 At the Jackson Day dinner to be given here January 8, many of the potential candidates will be trotted out and their paces shown before several hundred democratic leaders, who will be in Washington for the session of the democratic' national committee, which will fix the time and place for holding the conven- tion.
 | All the men viewed as possibilities for the nomination will deliver speeches, which will show where they stand on national issues and be tam tamount to bids for support for the big job. -s Among them will be William C. McAdoo, former secretary of the treasury and son-in-law of President Wilson; Attorney General A. Nit chell Palmer; Governor Cox of Ohio; lSecretary Daniels; Champ Clark; Senator Owens of Oklahoma, and Secretary Baker. .-~l-.--
 And Bryan will be there to deliver an address in which he will define the issues of the approaching cam paign as he views them. He will dominate this preliminary showing the candidates as he did at the Jack son Day dinner iii 1912, when Wood row Wilson won the favorable record of the peerless leadey. That is, he will dominate the affair unless the president should put in an appear ance.
 Mir. Wilson has been invited, and though it has been assumed he would not be well enough to attend, there have been many hints from the White House to the effect that the president soon would demonstrate his physical fitness in public appearance.
 But even if unable to attend, it is expected he will send message, | lxx-hs 1soolncn rrknfka.. Aa .x~ tends to be candidate. Bryan and the democratic leaders generally are proceeding on the assumption that MT. Wilson will not be a candidate. After the dinner MT. Bryan will take the stump to educate the people on the issues. He is said to be intent upon making government owr of the railroads a cardinal n . the platform. To the aspirants for the democrat. nomination who recall how Bryan dominated the 1912 Baltimore con vention, unhorsed Champ Clark and nominated Wilson, Bryan is a spec. ter to be feared and ingratiated up to the point, at least, that spectral hands are discerned reaching for a fourth nomination.
 In the November number of the Commoner, MT. Bryan called on the democratic aspirants to state their platforms, adding:
 "Those eligible for the democratic nomination should advance and give the countersign. Among those who are, first, for the people and against Wall street; second, for the home against the saloon, and third, for woman suffrage (these requirements are esentiai) the party will chose the most available man-the man who can lead with the best assurance of success"
 None of the candidates responded, but Mir Bryan published several pages of letters suggesting that he seek the honor. In the December number, MT. Bryan was moved to observe:
 No candidate has announced his willingness to assume the leadership and those whose names are discussed have not divulged their views on the, issues now dividing the people. What is the matter? Is this the party that triumphed in 1912 and wrote such a glorious chapter of reforms between 1913 and 1917? What has palsied the party's arm and sapped its| vigor?"