The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-07-01
rr MEANS soMrrHlNG.

The following from The Richmond
Times-Dispatch is a specimen of what
may be found in many of the most con-
sentative newspapers of the country:
We believe that the party can win
with Parker or any man like him. who
IL known to be safe. But there is one
man whose candidacy would make sue
cess a moral certainty. and that man ie
Grover Cleveland. We believe that
full, strength of the party. We feel
sure that he would carry the solid
South. New York. New Jersey and DELI
aware. But in order to make success
can poll the independent vote; that vote
which does not belong to either party
but which goes to this party or that
party according to circumstances.
Cleveland could carry all the States
that Parker could carry, and In addi-
tion he could come nearer than any 9TH
er Democrat to carrying the full in
dependent vote.
Nothing more singular has ever been
seen in connection with American pol
ftics than Is this constant declaration
from the best papers in the Union that
Mr. Cleveland is the strongest man that
the Democrats could select, but that 1t
would be better to nominate some 9TH
er man. 1t is virtually saying that our
Party ought not to nominate its
strongest and best man because his
nomination would be objected to by
some Democrats. In other words. with
Mr.. Cleveland we would be almost GER
tain to win. but we had better take
another
1t is an anomalous condition and a
singular argument. OF late The Ad-
vertiser has been sincerely advocating
Parker. partly because we have believ-
York. and partly because we have
thought him the man to unite the dis
cordant factions in the Democratic
Party and thus insure a solid front
to present to the enemy, but recently
we must confess that we have some
what lost faith. The opposition of
Tammany If persisted in, will certain
ly jeopardize success. Without New
York the election of a Democrat is ex-
ceedingly doubtful to say the very best.
and without Tammany New York is
doubtful. 1t is all well enough to say
that the Democrats can carry New York
without Tammany's assistance. but we
confess that it would be a hazardous
experiment 1t may be. also, that if
Parker is nominated, the Tammanv
organization will line up and give him
its honest support, but that, also. ia
hazardous.
Then too, we have been disappointed |
in the hope that all factions of the
Party would accept Judge Parker as
a suitable man and harmonize on him
but 1T seems that we were mistake,
Ia this, also. The opposition of Hearst |
was to be expected, because he still |
entertains sort of pipe dream that
ne Will be the nominee. Nor are we
surprised at Bryans opposition, for he
Is opposed to all Democrats who re-
fuse to agree with him. But aside
from them there are Democrats all over
the country who will not accent the |
New York jurist, and are ready to toIn |
in a combination to defeat him. If he |
gets the nomination after bitter fac
tional fight, is it not to be feared that
he will fail to command such earnest
and united support as will assure his
election? That is a possibility much to
be feared.
1t Is just such considerations as
these that is causing many of the best
Democrats in the country to talk Cleve-
land and to give reasons why he should
be nominated. If the convention can
not please all the factions by nominat-
ing Parker, then why not ignore the
factions and select the strongest man?
That is the way they are talking, and
there is much to support such argu-
ments We believe that Mr.. Cleveland
would not only carry every State that
Parker could. but that he would secure
a large Independent vote which no 9TH
e. Democrat can get.
And so, while we would gladly see
Judge Parker the choice of the con-
II he can get it without a |
bitter factional struggle. we are not |
blind to the volume and Significance
Of the Cleveland talk.