The Savannah morning news., 1904-06-19
THE SOUTH AT ST. LOUIS.

| t0r delegates TO the convention she mas
shown that her capacity for political
| leadership is greater than that of any
| other part of the country. She will
| appear at the convention with delega-
| lions united practically for a conserva-
! tive candidate and a conservative plat
| form. Early in the campaign for del
egates her leaders made up their minds
! what kind of a candidate and plat
form would stand the best chance Of
winning, and they managed so skill
! fully that the Southern delegations will
be i'm entire harmony with each other
when the convention assemblies. There
will he no delegation instructed against
| its convictions as is the case of that of
Illinois, no delegation seeking a candi-
date as is the case of that of Pennsyl-
vania, no delegation divided in sent-
ment as is the case of that of New
York.
And the South knows what she wants
in the platform. Among her delegates
on the Committee on Resolutions there
will be little If any. disagreement in
respect to what the platform should
contain. If the Southern delegates had
making Of the platform, they would
complete the work to be done by the
convention in one day.
And why shouldn't the South be per-
mitted to lead in the convention? She
| win furnish the bulk of the electoral
votes which the Democratic ticket will
| get and her capacity for political lead
! ership is such, judging from the har-
mony that will prevail among her del
| egates to the convention, that she is
better qualified than other sections of
| the country to determine what would
come nearer to satisfying the Democ-
racy Of the whole country.
Whatever trouble there is in the con-
vention will be provoked by the de-
mands of states that give no promise
of furnishing a single electoral vote,
| states like Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.
| The radical element in these states
will insist upon issues which have been
repudiated by the people and which
are practically dead. If. however, they
are put into the platform the opposi-
ton will insist upon regarding them
| as live issues, and will endeavor to
make them the chief ones of the cam
paign. They will be made the means
of preventing a Democratic victory.
In some sections of the North there
| appears to be a disposition on the part
of the Democratic leaders to let the
South dominate the convention, because
of the confidence that is felt in the
Souths capacity for leadership, but
the present outlook is that the radical
element OF the West will insist upon
| having it's way. This may force a
compromise, and a compromise under
existing conditions would be about as
fatal to Democratic chances for victory
as the triumph of the radical element.
THE PORT ARTHUR SITUATION.
1t seems that Russian strategy has
won negative sort of victory after
all, if the delaying of the fall of Port
Arthur may be called a victory. But
the Russians paid for it dear
ly. Stakelberg's troops marched
down the peninsula as If to go
to the relief of Port Arthur.
OF course the japanese troops fell
upon them, at Vafangow and Telissu.
defeating them in each action. Each
time the Russians fell back the Japa
nese followed them, in a direction away
from Port Arthur. Meantime the
Vladivostolz squadron, acting with the
army, had sailed south. through the
Strait of Korea and in sight of the
japanese coast, more than 900 miles
| ships sailed for some distance south of
Japan and then returned northward,
passing near the Xxi Islands, where u
number of Japanese transports were
sighted and two of them were destroy
ed, with heavy loss of life. Then the
Thus two objects were accomplished,
namely, the Japanese army, in a tired
condition. was drawn further away
from the beleaguered Russian port.
and it was demonstrated that the
| japanese transport system is vulner-
able. Japan will not now be able to
send troops to the mainland with her
former facility. The moral effect of
the Vladivostok squadron's dash will
be felt for some time. The situation
at present, therefore, apparently is
that the storming and taking of Port
Arthur has been deferred for some days
and possibly weeks.
|