The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-01
Our Next President.

Y olce OF the People
Our Next President.
10 tho Editor OF Tho Times Dispatch.
S'r'-As the presidential campaign
the deepest interest at tho dc develop ,,n
ments, already coming TO light. The
party part leaders arc making history that
| Nention to be held fourteen months
hence We VIII venture in the face
or these facts to make some prcdic-
ions that we are strongly inclined to
peueNc VIII make permanent history
| The most important occurrences In n
i,f,esIuential campaign have passed Into
aonbt this study the past history Of
these conventions. If YOU kept I'm
touch with the events, OF the last presi-
m ne1,,ii, ELECTION ; YOU then saw the an
day before the convention. AT few
weeks later VIM. J. Bryan was the
! " IF this be true that the conventions
| 90 not decide these things, who does?
.Now suppose we move our date up
fourteen months m III
We pick up a daily the evening he
lore the convention and we lind the
announcements of VIM. II. Taft as tho
nnrty,s choice But there Will be some
uncertainty as TO his running mate
| ~ rev wcckS later we will also read
,ne announcements that hudson liar
, ,r"h wi VII probably be nominated on
1 -
morrow. which was known months
| ago. il llt -
This Is no fantastic dream. but pre-
viously determined plans concoctcd and
| so Systematically organized MS 10 carry
| through the convention. OF course
We recognize the fact that the dele
| Gates carry the convention. But these
| Mrty leaders have left no stone UNI
turned TO know the position of every
aeieGate to attend, and their arrange
nents have all been made to meet ana
| overcome the OppoSitfon IN.
There arc four things that control
t mes, conyen tions-money. pa trona ge.
business influence and public sentiments.
last two are the controlling factors
IN IN me convention. These two AT once
other
swords clash at once and the battle
Is on. Public sentiment" is opposed
10 special privileges The one nd
vocatcs more stringent laws while the
other party silently opposes them: ono
urges you on. while the other says,
stand stir: one discrcdits popular
opinion" the other declares The voice
u thc people is the voice of God" One
| vention 7''f
i Parker's nomination was n forcgone
tion long before the conven-
We're backing him. though stranger
10 his party in the South. 1t WAS not
bror cry Of Of, p9pniar sentiment" tina:
parties been in harmony with the pol
Icy of their opponent. matters might
nave terminated differently. Public
sentiment swaycd the Republican CON.
Ncntion. and they won out
The first Mckinley convention was u
business cry and n march 10 pros
cd the people
Roosevelt's second term was strongly
public sentiment" but his nomination
was assured by his resorting 10 his I'm !.
nous challenge. whoever Is not for
me Is against me-" This brought IInn..
ia to the foot Of his shrine, and no
went through. 1t is said that Roose-
yelt was the force back OF Taft's nom
nation. In sense this was true as
thn nco,o WAS yoicing me sentiment OF
that controlled the convention was
public sentiment" '
Roosevelt had attracted the at.c- ton
confidence, SO they were willing to fol :
low his advice This alone made Taft
POSSIBLE candidate II was not tho
specially favored" or the political INA :
ehincry, for they were i'aft's oppo-
nents. II
To-day the sentiments of the pres
ldcntial incumbent have changed and
the Eastern horizon of the Republican
sky exhibits different coloring. Where
do we find tho Especially favored" to
day? They are in line with MI. Taft.
They Will endeavor to follow a. "pubiic
sentiment, President By one of Special
pri,yiiege" Mr., TAFT has broken faith
Win puDiC sentiment ana mas lined
up with the especially favored
This and this alone has caused tho
clamor for Il second term. We find
Foraker Fairbanks, Knox, Crane. Pen
| ose, Cannon and others boosting Taf.
The battle at the next convention will
he he ,, between special privilege" and
run nc sentimcnt:" we And Roosevelt,
others In favor with public senti-
no way In sympathy with the stand
Taft, swcrving from his position, has
incurred the disapproval OF the public
consequently, il there could be some
direct means of getting at the matter.
he would not get the nomination.
Public sentiment dominates rev OF
our states, but they are yastlyi in Tic
their influence in the convention. but
Taft will win out with the ma jority.
Now. this defeated minority will
more compnnlonablc associates else
where. Let ms see If they can find
congenial atmosphere in the Demo
Taggart. sullivan, Smith, Murphy and
others, These men, with their present
views, could not get the attention of
these boilers, for they are advocates Of
the Republican convention.
Woodrow Wilson was exceedingly
popular. during his gubcrnatorial cam
pnign, but his position to-day Is not
SO much In harmony with the party
leaders. consequently his prospects for
the nomination are sadly waning. The
Special privilege leaders have con-
cluded that hudson Harmon is tho only
available candidate In the field.
Ell So wo see that tho issues confront
ing the next conventions Will be "spe-
cial privilege" against public senti,
ment," This is no longer a battle OF
party discussions, but n hattie OF sem
timents. The fight may Income SO
strenuous they may he forced to intro
duce n dark horse" We VIII wait and
soc how much OF our prediction falls
true In 1Gl2.l. ...lLllLL aIna j. o. L. !.