The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-07
DEMOCRATS PUT
MUzzLE ON DAVIS
Aged Candidate for Vice Presi-
dency Will Be Kept From
the Stump.
BY w. w. jermane.

s New York, Sept. THE determina-
tion that Henry Gassaway Davis shall
make no campaign speeches was reached
by the democratic managers after care
West Virginia, following the Davis no,
tifcation meeting. In consideration OF
Mr.. Davis prominence and public SER
vices, his painful performance on that
day has not been fully made public.
Much sympathy was felt for him, for
his lapSes OF grammar, mlsprOnuncla-
ltion of words and general confusion
of ideas showed only too plainly that
age was affecting his mentality.
The democrats who attended the
meeting have not since complained be-
gcause Elihu Root criticized the party
for nominating an octogenarian for vice
president. 1t was these democrats who
reported at national headquarters re:
.garding Davis condition, and advised
strongly that he be kept in seclusion
until after the election. After the Wis
itors had departed, there was a coun-
oil of the democratic chieftains, and
st was finally agreed that the matter
should be laid before Judge Parker.
w. F. Sheehan went to Esopus and laid
che matter before the democratic pres
idential candidate. There was no diff
ference of opinion on the question. Da-
Wis will not go on the stump, and the
democratic campaign plans have been
changed accordingly.
! With both democratic candidates IN
hiding, and both republican candidates
in the open, the country is being shown
q very unusual spectacle. 1t is said
that such a situation has never before
been brought about in American poll
tics.
Weak Democratic Armor.
One of the weak spots in the armor
of the democracy is the Parker address
Of acceptance, to which reference has
previously been made in these dispatch
"filling,' dissertation on the consti-
tuition, to which nobody takes eXcep-
lions, whether republican or democrat.
The rest of it is bundle of evasions
and more or less careful efforts to con-
Iceal thought. 1t is the address OF a
lshifty politician, afraid to express his
views on great questions, and trying to
be all things to all men. This is the
final verdict of many careful thinkers
in this city, men who at first were in
elined to support Parker.
When the speaking campaign begins,
the Parker address will be discussed on
thousand republican stumps. The
hire have been at work for two weeks
going over it, pointing out its vulnera-
BILE spots and preparing ammunition FOL
the republican spellbinders. 1t is
doubtful II, during the enClre course OF
the campaign, the republicans will have
stronger campaign material than will be
prepared from this address.
The net effect of this sort of cam
paigning will be to extend all over the
country the feeling Of revulsion which
has taken possession of New Workers
The Parker of the gold telegram viii
be stripped Of his mask and shown tc
the people as he really is.
The Socialist Movement.
Much interest is being taken in the
socialist movement in the east. In 1879:
that party made straight away cam
paign for president, polling more than {
million votes. In 1896 and again il
1900 their organization was disruptes
by the candidacy of Bryan, for whom
many thousands Of socialists voted. Il
New York, New Jersey, Connecticut
Rhode Island and Delaware, they ar
supposedly very strong, and if the
stand together, they will have an IN
portant effect unon the vote OF the tw'
great parties. In the main, they COM
from the democracy, and therefore i
there is a strong socialist vote in tn
states named, the republican chance
there will be radically improved.