The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-07-18
LANDSLIDE YEARS
GONE FOR WHILE
Gold Democrats Are Com
ing Back From Their
Strange Alliance.

A vast deal of free-hand guessing on
the Presidential result is going on these !
days. Most of the confident predictions |
are being made by people who don't
care to await the development even of
the earlier aspects of the campaign |
They are not concerned to know what
Mr. Taft viii say IN his letter Of accept !
ance, or in his speech TO the notifca- |
ton committee They feel that II isn't
significant to learn how Mr.. Bryan VIII
reply 20 these emanatians from the late
War Secretary. They give themselves
small worry about the development Of
the State fights In such States as Wis
consin, Nebraska, Ohio New York, and
Indiana. They don't know. in most
cases, that South Dakota IS involved in
a bitter factional war among Republ-
cans, or that West Virginia is in
Ike difficulty.
These early-bird prophets simply an
nounce, ex cathedrh. that Mr.. Bryan is
going 70 carry the whole West and mid
die West-if they happen 70 hope that
he viii do so; or that Mr.. Taft is Ger
tain TO break the solid South. that New
York Is good for q fabulous Republican
majority. and that the whole central
West is secure.
The truth is that these guesses as
given to the public at this stage OF the
night have small value. The factors
which will determine the result Of this
campaign are yet TO be developed and
weighed and Analysed No man knows
what viii happen as TO a number u
things, any one of which may be recog-
niZed, three months hence, as possibly
determinatiye OF the result. There arc,
however. Few things which can saiely
be set down as reasonably certain
Unlike Landslide Years.
For example, the wise statistician
viii at this stage OF the contest go back
to the election returns OF 1884. ISIS, and
1892 for his basis Of comparison he
viii not compare with the figures CT
1886. 1900. and 1904 Later IN the cam
paign, when matters have sufficiently
developed. he may find justification for
comparing with the landslide years or
Mckinley and Roosevelt; but he cannot
find It in any conditions that have taken
form thus far.
Beginning IN 1856. there was an i'm
mense detection Of old-line Democrats
from the party OF Tflden and Cleve-
land. That party had been made over.
and the old things had changed Demo
cratic votes doubtless made the two
elections Of Mckinley SAFE certainly
mense pIuralities-
But those Democratic votes are not 70
be counted on this year Developments
of the campaign may bring Them BACK
but thus Tar they are In the region OF
uncertainty Thus, as an llIustratlon'
the recent State convention in Tennes-
see illustrates eXCellenty now tslls Gle
ment has been returning 70 the Demo
cratic fold
Wught's Son Chairman
The temporary chairman OF that con-
vention was EIdredge E Wright son OF
the present Secretary Of War, and
gold Democrat who IS reputed In Ten
nessee 70 have voted for Roosevelt four
years ago. The permanent chairman
was 2. 3. Eslick, who IN 1886 wasn't
able TO stay with the party because OF
free silver, and was rated as a Palmer
and Buckner Democrat The Tennessee
political creed has rated him as a voter
for Mckinley-nost OF the Palmer ana
BuCkner people tSlked the National
Democratic" ticket and at the polls
voted for the Ohio man
This same convention renominated for
governor NJ. r. Patterson. another
Palmer and Buckner Democrat of 80,
who. as a member Of the House Of Rep
reSents ttves, IN 1904. made speech on
the floor advocating the nomination Of
| Grover Cleveland for President Since
| that time he has been elected governor
1 OF the State. and now he is renomi-
mated, The fact that ne was Irregular
/ in former campaigns does not seem TO
have injured him with The Democracy
/ OF his State
/ As chairman Of the resolutions COM
mittee Of this convention OF Tennessee s
/ reorganized Democracy was W. J.
1 Crawford. publisher OF the Memphis
/ CommeTcial-Appeal, and a business
partner Of Luke F. Wright. Secretary
/ OF War Crawford has always been
| anti-Bryan TIL this year
| But this is not all The convention
/ nominated for judge OF the court OF
/ civil appeals Horace Palmer q notorious
\ gold Democrat. who was irregular in
/ the campaigns in which silver was ar
1 issue. The chairman OF the State sena-
/ torial committee. chosen by the new or
] ganiZatiOn. Is II. 3. MOrrow. who IS
| freely credited with having twice voted
for Mckinley Certainly he was not
regular.
Given Front Seats In 1908.
All these men were for years, follow
ing 1856, as dead politically in Tennessee
as Villas. Of Wisconsin. or Olney, OF
Massachusetts, in their respective com.
munities- Yet in this year Of grace 100
these men rot only are welcomed bach
into the Democracy. but are given the
front seats.
It viii not do 10 assume that they
Will at the critical time betray the party
/ or Bryan into the hands Of the enemies
They h1z no such i1tentiOn. They ar,
| simply ready TO come back into the fold
to fight with the people with WHOM
they naturally belong. and TO recogriz,
that the Bryan OF 1908 Is a new Bryan
and the issues Of 1903 are new issues
They are satisfied with that situation
The Middle West shows parallels II
this situation IN every Congressiona
district. Not often IS the situation 81
| striking as IN Tennessee. Eut there art
| enough cases of oId-time Democrat
| coming back from their wanderings. tC
justify the expectation, at this time
that those substantial old party mer
who three times were Cleveland Demo
Gratis. are going to be, the third time
Bryan men.
That is the reason for the suggestion
that the electoral reports on the thre'
Cleveland campaigns make the SAT,
basis for comparison. rather than those
of the three campaigns since the rise
OF Bryan The real politicians, not Lh'
/ hair-trigger ones are doing their flgur
ing on this basis. Mr.. Hitchcock and
Mr.. Vorys are figurins-Dot talking
this way. Mr.. Taft and his close tnti
mates know that this Is the safe com
/ putation. and they will run their cam
paign on this basis.