The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-12-18
DEMOCRATS DON'T FIND ROSES
ON ALL BUSHES
CONTINUED from First Page

we're tension, but somehow the chain
that has held them together has not
been broken, and this is perhaps due
more TO the conciliatOry spirit OF the
old guard democrats than through
the tact of the new bloods ina the pro
gressiye group, both wings, further
being animated TO keep on fairly
friendly terms through the desire
common 10 both to win the presiden-
cy in 1912, and then the sight OF the
split republican party and the know
ledge OF what caused that split has
had an additional restraining infu-
ence upon them And still further.
more the democrats have known for
long series Of lean years what it
means 10 be OF war with one another.
That the democrats are not lit
tie biz nervous over their own situa-
ton there les no deuyr So far as
legislative work IN Congress is con-
cerned il Is going to be very hard to
keep the party az one as IL so admir-
ably was in the extra session OF con-
gress but grave though the matter
be- IL rs not SO much the legislative
program that Is essentially troubling
the democrats as the presidential can
vas
While the presidential canvas
among the democrats of the East has
yet TO bubble beyond a simmer, that
appears not to be the case in the
West, where Washington hears that
lively canvass is on among the as.
pirants who have lines out TO hook
the delegates The struggle is being
carried on with a good deal Of bitter
ness. one hears Gov. Harmon Of
Ohio is said TO have laid ont well q
careful campaign which Is now show.
ing such surprising efficiency that the
anti-Harmon forces are surprised On
their own account they have been
stirred to action. and the battle Is be
ing waged with such intensity as to
seriously imperil permanent peace in
the party and threaten to beget an ir-
reconcilable factionalism to find dis.
actrous expression az the polls.
Many republicans and In all sin.
cerity, insist that Gov Harmon is n
strong man. They are particularly
impressed with his strength in the
Northwest. Many declare their be-
lief that II nominated he would cas-.
lily be elected, but while they con.
cede this they hardly expect his nom.
nation because of the Bryan inau-
ence in the democratic party, and
they expect this to become more and
more virulent as the Harmon CAM
vass is demonstrating greater and
greater Roadway. They expect that
out of Il will come much bitter fac.
tlonal strife throughout the land. that
the state OF the democracy will be sad
for the democracy 20 contemplate. To-
all accounts the elements for mis-
chief are there Col Bryan is still
n popular idol In the democratic
ranks as many canvass for presi.
dental preferences shows. He Is the
same disturbing inSuence IN the dem.
ocracy as is Col. Roosevelt In the
republican party. Both still seem L
have the power OF nominating himself
or somebody else, or at least, OF ex.
ercising "A veto.
The departure OF the republican ma.
tlonal committee with the political
talk II accustomed, has permitted the
democratic situation to come more
into the foreground with the forego.
ing as the chief element In the dis.
cussion, but there is still left a resi-.
dunn OF talk on republican politics.
Il seems to be accepted more and
more that President Taft win be re-
nominated, but that Il Is going TO be
difficult to elect him. and that much
will depend upon what the democrats
viii do, and the expectation is that
they will bluuder
Tho La Toilette boom has singular
ly fattenod out and not even the pro
gressives are talking very much more