Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-20
Observation-Disclosures


The Republican party Is indulging in
another semi-centennial celebration.
As such demonstrations have occurred
at intervals during the last two years
or more they begin to suggest a fixed
habit. At three or four different times
and places, in 1904, the iftieth birthday
of the @. o. p. was celebrated at alleged
places OF the accouchement AS those
celebrations we're understood, outside of
the Republican breastworks, to have a
bearing on the presidential campaign OF
1904 they may have been effective.
But now, at the beginning of discus
sion about the presidential campaign OF
1908 the most pretenious Of all Repub-
lican half century anniversaries is In
progress at Philadelphia. The present
gathering in the Quaker City is to cele-
brate the advent of the Republican
party in national politics by the nomin-
alton of presidential ticket. 1t was at
this time, in 1856, that the first national
convention OF that party was held in
Philadelphia. The convention repre-
scented the remains Of the northern wing
of the old Whig party that went Gown
i'm the tidal wave of 1862, under the
leadership of Gen. Scott; also a large
element of the disrupted -snownothing
soilers" and a few conservative abo-
litionists
1t is an interesting event that the
Republican party is celebrating now in
Philadelphia. The initial convention of
that party marked the beginning of
new political epoch In the United
States. The nomination of Fremont
aud Dayton, with the slogan Fremont
and free homes for the free" brought
together an incongruous lot Of partisan
odds and ends, as indicated in the above
reference to the makeup OF the new
party. But an amazing rally around
the picturesque Pathfinder" resulted
Such campaign claptrap as the "Woolly |
Horse and Bleeding Kansas" swept over
the country like prairie fire. The new
party, only few months old, with only |
the north to draw from, secured ia
electoral votes for Fremont against 174 |
for Buchanan.
Fremont failed, but he paved the way
for Lincoln four years later and for
uninterrupted Republican rule through
six presidential terms. And during the |
half century since the Philadelphia con-
vention until the present time there
have been only three Republican
presidential terms. Furthermore, there
can be no change until March 4, 1909.
But the Philadelphia convention, with
it's great historical interest, may now
be marking the beginning of the end.
From the viewpoint of an Osler the G.
O. P. has the appearance of readiness
for the chloroform. True it has not yet
reached the psalmist's allotment of
lifetime but with a political party, as
with an individual, much depends upon
the habits of the subject. For many
years the Republican party. like many
an "old man of So" has Ueen burning
its candle at both ends"
Instead of the vigor that marked the
first Republican presidential campaign,
the campaign now just budding reveals
the G. o. P. with all the infirmities
known to veterinary surgery. Whether
it will be possible to dope" it so that
it may make a fair start in the race of
1908 is a question that seems to per-
plex its large corps of doctors. Any
way, there is every symptom that it has
nearly run it's race.
Unless the signs of the times are
badly out of gear there will be need of
a Republican demonstration in the not
distant future quite unlike the one now
seen in Philadelphia. The salient fea-