The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-14
PARTY SCHISM
IS IMMINENT
The Oft-Boasted Democratic Har-
mony Seems About to Take
Unto Itself Wings.
Fight for Control Is Predicted Be-
tween the Radical and Con-
IL servative Elements.
In Hearst the Radicals Have Wig
orous Leader-Bryan Holds
Balance of Power.
From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Building,

from The Journal Bureau, Colorado Building,
Washington.
Washington, Jan. 14.-Which ele-
ment shall control the democracy
the radicals or the conservatives
That is the issue which now squarely
confronts members of that party. For
what is the party to stand in the
approaching campaign? Who is to
write it's platform? Is it's candidate
to be a. Hearst or a Parker? A semi
anarchist or a distinguished pluto
crat?
The meeting Of the national COM
mittee to choose the place for hold
ing the party convention served to
bring this issue squarely to the front.
The radicals took occasion to air their
presidential boom and to exhibit their
strength. The noise was sufficient to
scare the conservatives into a panic,
and they confessed their fears by TAX
ing to their heels and carrying off the
convention to st. Louis, after hay
ing arranged to hold it in Chicago,
which may be set down as democra-
cy's mistake number one. But that
Is another story.
A Contest Coming.
The question of the present moment
1s! Who Is to prevail in the conven-
ton? 1t is evident that there Is a
contest coming. Whatever may be
said Of the harmony which has been
manufactured in the east, it does not
match with the brand in evidence west
of the Alleghenies. Eastern demo-
Gratis see an opportunity to win by
committing the party to a candidate
and platform less radical than Roose-
welt and what he stands for. There
are conservative democrats in some
of the western states who favor the
plan to make the party a party of con-
md Inns
tiful campaign fund, but opposed to
this conservative movement are the
radicals. who are gathering under the
banner Of Hearst. They are the sur
vlvors of two Bryan campaigns and
embrace socialists, unconverted silver
ties and the dissatisfied and anarchis-
tic Of all stripes. They are the class
against the government, no matter
what the government may be.
Then, it Is fair to add, there are
some honest people who have! the
habit of democracy, or tradition of
1t In the family, who do not like the
name Is being prostituted to Wall
street money bags by it's eastern PAN
derers, and who would like to see an
honest candidate, on sane platform,
following democracy's banner. They
have been hoping against hope that
some middle ground would be reached
between Cleveland and Hearst which
would furnish them both standing
room In the party. In this element is
numbered a large and intelligent Ia
Dor vote.
Conservatives on Top.
But the outlook is discouraging. At
present the eastern wing-the silent
conservative, Wall street democrats
seem to have the upper hand. They
are saying mighty little There is very
little for them to say. It is char
acteristic of their methods to say as
little as possible. They believe they
have a majority of the national COM
mittee committed to their plans. They
are at wor kquietly to insure deiega-
lions which they can control in the
national convention.
In New York, Tammany, backing
Parker or German, is in control of
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