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Show let's ihe Talk Among Democrats. Parker and Hearst Are Likely to Hamstring Each Other. With These Two -Out of the Way, the Receptive Candidates jAro It. 3peclal to Tho Tribune. WASHINGTON, May 9. Republican Republi-can leaders incline to the opinion opin-ion that Judge Parker's boom for the Democratic nomination Is sagging badly; and that his nomination nomina-tion docs not look as probable as a few weeks ago. Southern and "Western papers pa-pers vlrhich formerly were favorable to' his candidacy now are criticising him and his surroundings In the New York directorate. It is also noted that prominent Democrats, Demo-crats, who a few weeks ago declared that Parker was the assured candidate of their party, now admit that there Is grave doubt If the New Yorker can secure se-cure the necessary number of votes in the convention. There are excellent reasons for believing that Senator Gorman Gor-man will assume a prominence in the deliberations of the SL Louis convention conven-tion which has been unexpected by the party for some time, although It will be in accord with the plans which the Maryland Senator has cherished almost from the beginning. "Arthur Pue Gorman and Charles A. Towne"," is the latest Democratic ticket suggested, and there are many Indications Indica-tions that tlio.M.njyland politician is playing a shrewd game, with a view to securing Towne's influence with the Bryan element of the party. Gorman Not Losing Time. Mr. Gorman has never for a moment believed himself out of the race for the Presidency. All his efforts are bent toward preventing enough States instructing in-structing for Parker to win the nomination. nomina-tion. Mr. Gorman's purpose, almost from the llrst, has been to encourage a situation sit-uation In the St. Louis convention where the bitterness between the Hearst and Parker factions would eliminate elim-inate the possibility of either candidate candi-date receiving two-thirds vote. Under such conditions a compromise candidate candi-date would necessarily be selected, and the Marylander sees no reason why lie should not be the man. Th'ls end could be attained with cs-. peclal ease if the Gorman lighters were In a position to make a proposition to the Bryanlles' which would Insure their support, and the offer of the nomination for Vice-President to Towne seems, to present alluring possibilities pos-sibilities In this direction. Mr. Gorman's friends are doing hard work to prevent the instruction for either Hearst or Parker. The Parker platform is used effectively in the West, especially that plank which declares that "corporations chartered by the State. must be subject to State control," and Mr. Bryan's recent condemnation of the New York platform is bearing fruit. Cleveland a Possibility. Friends of Mr. Cleveland are once more suggesting the availability of the former President. Cleveland himself is taking great pains to explain those of his acts which caused criticism when he was in the White House, and is in many ways exhibiting an interest in public affairs which those Democrats who would prefer to see him remain in the retirement of Princeton regard with anxiety. The promptness with which Mr. Cleveland writes letters denying that he ever entertained a negro In the White House, the zeal wrfli which he defends the bond Issues under his' administration, ad-ministration, are interpreted by a good many observers here as meaning that his lightning rod Is up. It Is an open secret that the former President is the man Mr. Roosevelt and his friends most fear as the opposition candidate. But even a slight deflection of Democratic Dem-ocratic affections toward Mr. Cleveland Cleve-land will not disturb the Gorman leaders, lead-ers, for they are confident that the ex-Prcfident ex-Prcfident can never overcome the bitter bit-ter opposition of the Bryan-Hearst element ele-ment in the party, although a temporary tempo-rary boom for him might have the effect ef-fect of diverting some of the Parker, strength. |
