Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-01-20
THE OUTLOOK OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PApTX

Henry Litchfeld West in the Foruml
1t is an old and well-established pro-
verb that house divided against itself
must fall The Democratic party. at the
present time, is n house divided against
itself As long as il continues in this
condition. it may confidently expect dis
aster
The result Of this situation. it seems
To me will be the permanent separation
OF one element Of the party from the
other. II has already been demonstrated
that a very large number of Democrats
who left their party in 1896 and 1909 have
now aligned themselves with the Republi
cans. IL has also been made very appar-
ent that the Democrats who so enthusiasts
ttcally supported Mr.. Bryan i'm those two
campaigns could not bring themselves to
vote for Judge Parker in 1904, because
he did not represent the principles and
views enuncated by their leader As oil
and water will not mix, there is no rea-
son for believing that in 1908 these two
divergent factions will coalesce. Unless
human nature changes 1t is hardly likely
that nominee of Mr.. Bryan's stamp will
receive the suffrages Of the conservatives
or that nominee with Mr.. Cleveland's
Endorsement will command the support of
re radicals. What, then, will the Demo-
rats do? Every one knows that the
ucleus which remains after the conser-
'atives and the radicals have been elm
mated is not sufficiently large to carry
candidate into the White House I he
leve, and it seems to me that an ANALYSIS
u the vote offers considerable foundation
Tor the belief that If Mr.. Bryan. or an
1ut-and-out Bryan adherent had been
nominated, he would have received more
votes than Judge Parker; and, on the
other hand, II seems certain that if Judge
Parker had not been associated with Mr..
Bryan ana Organism, he would have given
MI Roosevelt a closer race AS IL was
the Bryanttes RETAINED from voting he
cause they were not in sympathy with
Judge Parker and the interests which he
represented while thousands of indepen-
dents, who might have been willing to
trust him in the White House, were afraid
that II he should be elected he would be
compelled to regard the wishes of men
deemed by them unsafe.
Under these circumstances, there could
nave been no other result to the election.
and the Democrats, II they desire TO avoid
a similar outcome in 1908, must avoid =
recurrence of the same situation. II Is
posslple' but not probable, that they NAV
ma an ideal candidate in the person of
some one who win - 1Ocel .able 10 the
bryanists, the Cleveland facti, n, and the
independent voter. The more certain out
.o ON seems To me to be that Mr. Bryan
MIL with his accustomed shrewdness and
ngor' undertake during the next four
Years TO rally around himself the rem
aants OF the party, and will. in addition.
attract the thousands CT restl SIS, dissatis
hed' and change-seeking voters who are
factor in our politics. He is not alto
sether without prestige. He received
more popular votes than Judge Parker
and obtained more electoral votes He
has more political sagacity and resource
fulness than Judge Parker The latter
has been eliminated as a party leader,
WINE MT bryans position among those
who believe in his doctrines Is stin com
handing.