The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-04-24
(The Verdict

He would be an ill-natured Amerl-
can to speak otherwise than with .
pleasant charity of Dewey and his
"boOm." Dewey. moved by folks who
seek to use him. declared himself 4
candidate for the Presidency. That
WAS Il mistake. Dewey should have
kept himself free from such error.
Dewey is Il good sailor and q good
fighter. He is a bad politician. Had
he known the lane rs we'll as he does
the sea. he would have steered clear
of this rock. As il is. his simplicity
and his vanity Will get him laughed
at. OF two things Dewey may be
sure: BRYAN will be the nominee Of
the Democracy; the Republicans will
rename Mckinley. Bryan Will be Sc
lected for his side because the party
asks it With one voice: Mckinley
must run for the Republicans-to
drop him would be a party plea OF
"@uiIty.' From all Of which Dewey
must observe. as he plunges full
steam ahead into the sea Of politics,
that he will be driven to make his run
as an Independent. The Verdict de-
clines to regard the Dewey candidacy
as Of moment Or political weight.
Doubtless it is DeWeNs right to aspire
to the White House. The risk he
runs is the risk Of that ridicule which
all attract who wildly. ~fatuouslN
scramble for the Wnattainable. 1t
would have been bcttcr-for him-had
DeWey's ambition stuck close to
decks and 12-inch guns in their eN-
preston. -
Dewey, if he runs. will run as an
"Independent," or rather as an irregu-
lar Republican. From its stand as 4
Democrat, The Verdict hopes Dewey
will be in the field. Why. Because.
so far as his canvass detracts or
veakens any one, that one Will be
Mckinley. As a first step. Dewey is Il
Republican-one of darkest and most
let-like hue. There are thousands
who know this. Dewey for years
and those not far astern-Worked at
Il department desk in Washington.
And While Dewey is not Il volubic
mariner, mor one to wax uproarlouS
anent politics. he by no means, while
at the Capital. hid the light OF his
convictions under Il buShel. AS fast
as q question occurred. or an issue
:sked an answer, Dewey vigorously
and clearly expressed himself as Il Re
publican. Should Dewey be in the
field. it would be an aid to Bryan and
the Democracy. Not Il man who would
vote for Bryan with Dewey out,
would vote for Dewey with Dewey in.
j The sailors canvass would not disturb
+, a BRYAN ballot. On the excellent 9th
er hand. one might expect it to bleed
the Mckinley strength. Dewey should
gather about him hardly a million
votes. That figure is One-fOurteenth
of all that Will be cast. Those mil
lion votes .Of Deweys Will come from
California. Oregon and Washington
in the West. and such as Illinois. Wis
consin. Ohio. New York and MasSa-
chuSettS in the East. These latter
S1atas-mOst Of them-are today in
hot dispute between the parties. They
are to be the battle-grOundS this Fall
TO take votes from Mckinley in these
regions-even the loss to him Of 100.
600 votes-mioht we'll and easily bea1
his reelection to death. Dewey. as
stated. would call to his standards
full one million ballots. They woulo
be made up of two sorts: mugwump:
and ~disgruntled Republicans. There
are vast hOrdes Of these latter. The,
loathe Mckinley; they look on him a.
a tool of Hanna-a thing supple t,
the Trusts. They voted for McNin1e,
in 1896: they won vote for hin
, again. And Yet many OF these would
IaIk at voting with the Democrats
+ They are in the Brutus corner re
ycrsed: it's not that they love De
mocracy more. but Mckinley less
Most. fairly all. in fact. Of these. il
> fiuht between bryan and McKinle.
would have STAYED 1T home. Wit
Devev's name they find a refuge
and sill preserve their records as Re