The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-30
Voice Of the People
Underwood or ytI,o,,

IN It's latest Issue that 10 attempt
would be made to put the initiative
ana referendum into the next Demo-
cratic national platform. l have nc
cordinSly sent to the editor of the Sun
copy OF Wilson's letter to me, which
hrst appeared in The Times Dispatch
OF december is, and in which he dis
tinctly stated that these policies had
no place in national politics. or i'm
virginia politics either. Whether tho
sun VIII print Wilson'S letter. | do
not know: but mention tho matter i'm
order to point ont that tho SUMS hos
Unity to Wilson and it's efforts TO dis
credit him in every way is one of the
proofs OF his "availabiilty" as a Demo-
cratic candidate. The Sun is IL Rcpub-
iican parcF; and the large amount OF
space which it devotes to attacks upon
Wilson is sign that il breads him
intensely as the most formidable. pres
| idcntial candidate whom the Demo
Gratis could nominate. In your edito-
rial last Saturday you suggested that
] turn my attention to the question
whether Wilson could be elected II
nominated. ] have just given ono
proof of his availability. and shall pro-
ceed now to give others. But, first, O
predatory word
Inc Democratic party is fortunate
enough to have u number of prominent
Next to Wilson / should personally
prefer Underwood. He is unaucstion-
ably an admirable man and OF presi-
dental size. at some future time he
may be the Democratic nominee. and
! may have the great pleasure Of vot-
ing for him. But there are two rca
sons why he cannot he elected, it
nominated, One is that sectional pre-
judicc is not vet sufficiently dead
oil iS hat
arc at daSgcrs' points: and, If any
man imaEipcs that Bryan can control
no votes in the West that man Is
nursing dangerous deluaion. II is
perfectly true that Bryan's power la
greatly wancd. and ! feel grateful TO
Underwood for having helped 10 di-
minish il But We are now discussing
the question as to what Democrat can
be elected President of the United
States: and. for the rational settle.
ment OF That question. /, is necessary
10 bea" in mind certain cold. hard
facts One of these is that 1t is no
longer sufficient. as in tho old Clevc-
land days, for . Democrat to carry
merely New York. Connecticut. New
Jersey and Indiana in addition to the
Solid South. 1t is absolutely necessary
for him to carry also several Western
Republican States Everybody knows
that the people calling themselves Re-
Publicans in the West and in the coun-
try large Considerably outnumter the |
people calling themselves Democrats. In !
order to carry enough Western Rcpub- |
lican states to be elected. therefore /
the Democratic nominee must not only (!
hold the Western Democrats in line /,
but must attract many thousands of
Republican voters. Can Underwood do
either of these things? Can he hold |
the Western Democrats whose idol he /
has nouted? Can he attract the pro
Sresstvc Republicans, who are exact /
~ the same type of people as tho Rry- /
an Democrats?
II conservative and highly respect. I
able Nirg inia gentlemen can derive /
satisfaction from sncerin nj these |
troublesome Westcrners, they arc en- /
tirely ut liberty to do so. But we arc
now discussing practical cNpediency:
and [ would remind my friends that
their sneers do not deprive these fell
lows Of their votes. They are not 60
ing to rclinauish the franchise in or
der to crafty Virginia conservatives. |
Their votes will he cast: but not for
Underwood or Harmon either. 10 inn 1
a6ino so is to chase rainhows II,
therefore. the people of Virginia de- !
sire to sec Democrat elected Prcsi- /
dent, they would do we'll to leave
Drcamland and place their feet on the
solid earth of reality. To those whose !
heads are not above the clouds olfcr
the following as some--only somc-of I
the reasons why Woodrow Wilson
would poll moro votes than any other
Democrat could poll;
y newspaper has recently been
quoted as making these announce
ments: "3lichigan's twenty eight votes
70 to Wilson," Delaware is 81 per
cent. Wilson" Wisconsin Is safe in
Wilson column" Governor of Ore
gon Is Wilson boomer" "pcnnsylva-
MIA will instruct for WILSON, etc. Tho
Times Dispatch on December .3 de- /
clared Wilson to be "a popular id oil"
on the Pacific coast, and expressed the
opinion that he would carry califor-
MIA, Oregon and Washington agalns,
Taft. 1t has also stated that New
York and New Jersey dcmanr above
all things candidate free from the
bosses brand. and Wilson has that
record IT also said that Minnesota,
Wisconsin. Illinois and Colorado are
confidently put in the Wilson column"
On the same day, December 80 Samuel
q. Blythe said in the Saturday I've
ming Post; so far as the voters OF the
country are directly concerned--mcan-
ing the Democrats and the Independent
Wilson has the greater,
strength At this time. If 1t were "a
mass convention. Wilson would he
nominated Public sentiment may de-
vciop TO such an extent that Wilson's
nomination cannot be prevented" On
Christmas Eve an entire page of the
New York World was given 10 an In
tcrview with Wilson.
MI sorts Of "stra'r votes have been
taken. and have not Clanccd 10 sec
ono We, tina, lid not show wilson 10
he more popular thcn any other Dem
Orrnt. Ono suCh vote Was taken hy
thc convention nf municital reform
"r% tina. met in Richmond not long
ago Tho delegates came from al
over he country, and thcir stray +
vote showed Wilson Ear in The lead.
4 he kG,.t,,,