The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-06-15
THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION.

The NOAlNa11VN
Five state and territorial democratic convention
we're held week before last, and 90 more delegat
we're elected to the national democratic convention
About two-thrds of the delegates to that body hav
now been chosen-656 out Of total membership
choice of presidential candidate is any more DEF
nitely foreshadowed From the beginning of the col
aggressive national canvass made by W. R. Hears
last spring alarmed conservative Democrats every
where For time the chief concern of the cor
servative leaders was, as Mr.. Cleveland put it, {
"stife' the aspirations of the young ambitious an
radical New York congressman Judge Parke
seemed three months ago. the most hopeful and avail
able candidate about whom the frightened conserva
tiyes could rally The pressure of the Hearst boom
rather than his own power Of leadership and attraC
ton, gave substance and momentum to Judge Park
er'S canvass Now it is clear to every one that tn
Hearst movement has spent its force. The eonserva
tives almost certain to have twothirds maiorit,
in the national convention The necessity for unior
no longer remains. No single candidacy is now es
sential to conservative safety The antradical dele
gates are free to divide among themselves and, tn,
pressure from without relieved the anti-radica
forces are gradually dissolvng into opposing groups
each group maneuvering to control the partys fina
action at St. Louis
The breakup in the conservative ranks is empha-
sized by the results of last week balotng for dele
gates. Eight weeks ago instructions for Parker
would have carried in Georgia by an almost unani-
nous vote; but the convention at Atlanta last
Wednesday passed half-hearted and equvocal reso-
luton of instructions by the narrowest Of margins
The division was 166 IA for and 157 "a against.
No other convention held last week instructed for the
chief judge. Wyoming instructed for Hearst. and
Michigan, Nebraska and Oklahoma chose uninstruct-
ed delegations. Of the 96 delegates chosen Judge
Parker got only rs. Mr. Hearst got TO- and the rest
60 into the uneommitted column. On the surface,
therefore, the week was clearly losing one for the
Parker managers
So far, of $50 delegates chosen 202-or less than
one-third-are instructed for or committed to Judge
Parker. Three hundred and thrty-eight delegates
are still to be chosen Should Judge Parker capture
them all he would have total of 540-123 votes
short of twohirds majority; but in the states and
territories still to elect his managers will be for
tunate to get 100 instructed delegates. They are
likely to carry Mississippi with 20 votes; Vermont,
with votes and Louisiana with 18 votes In North
Carolina with "a votes and Kentucky with 26 votes,
delegations more or less friendly to Judge Parker
will probably be chosen; but in Texas, Arkansas and
Missouri the indications are that uncommtted dele
cations will be elected. Virginia is as friendly to
Mr. Germans candidacy as it is to Judge Parker's
Delaware may or may not instruct for Judge Gray.
Colorado, Utah, Hawaii, Illinois, North Dakota and
radical policies. Minnesota and Idaho are being
fought for by the Parker managers with the chances
more against them than in their favor.
Granting Judge Parker 125 votes in the states
and territories still to elect his total will rise to
327-less than third Of the membership of the
convention The radical strength will be little less
than his and, even should he gain from third to a
half Of the uninstructed vote, he would still fall far
short of nomination It is clearly within the power
Of Senator German, James NJ Guffey, James Smith,
Jr, Francis NJ Cockrell, Edward G. Wall and half
dozen other democratic leaders to block Judge Par
ker progress and to force the selection of other
conservative candidate. Whether they will exert
that power or not is still to be determined All in
dcations point, however, to protracted and an ex-
citing struggle at ST. Louis
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