The Washington times., 1912-11-30
TRYING TO DODGE DESTINY.


The difference between the Democratic party and
the Republican party today 10 that the Republican
party knows where 1t is and the Democratic party
doesn't.
When the Republican convention met in Chicago
1t was faced by square issue. And 1t met Il squarey
We don't mean to suggest that the Republican
managers were moved by high thoughts when they
came to the business Of seating delegates. They
were moved by base thoughts And the work that
they did was base. ...-
But they did have the courage to do bad things
In brazen way. They bilked the convention OF the
right to name candidate who would be acceptable
to the people and they did the job openly.
They were against the new order; they were for
the old order and they chose political death with
the old order rather than political life with the new
order.
And that was the end Of the old Republicanism.
But the Democratic party dodged Destiny At Bal
timore. II made truce with Fate.
Had 1t followed the logic Of the primaries II
would have nominated Champ Clark Had 1t fol.
lowed the sentiments Of the New Democracy It
would have nominated Mr.. Bryan.
The present Speaker is q stalwart Democrat Of
the old order, just as President Taft Is q stalwart
Republican Of the old order
The Speaker believes in States rights. He be.
lieves in what is called Organization" He believes
that politically, man should stand by his friends
And Mr.. Bryan doesn't.
Mr. Bryan believes, first Of ali, in anything Of
hopeful, uplifting kind that will get votes But he
believes in more than that He believes that il is
the business Of Government to give every man an
even start in life and to see that no fouling goes on
during the race.
And a belief in things of that kind has made for
Mr.. Bryan about six million friends amongst the vot
ing population Of this country. Which is mighty
impressive achievement
But the Baltimore convention lacked the sin.
certify to nominate Mr. Bryan and it lacked the cour
age to nominate Champ Clark, so it compromised by
naming Woodrow Wilson, who was too conservative
for the Bryan Democrats and too doubtful" for the
Clark Democrats.
And the result Of that compromise when com.
pared with some related facts is interesting.
In the campaign Of 1900 Mckinley was opposed
by Bryan and three other candidates Of more or
less importance.
But the popular vote for Mckinley was half
million greater than the popular vote Of those other
candidates combined
In the campaign of 1904 Roosevelt was opposed
by Parker and two other candidates Of more or less
importance. =.
But the popular vote for Roosevelt was 1884, 75b
greater than the popular vote Of all the other cand
dates combined.
In the campaign Of 1908 Taft was opposed by
Bryan and two other candidates Of some importance
And the popular vote for Taft was over half a
million greater than the popular vote Of all the other
candidates combined.
In the campaign Of this year Wilson was opposed
by Roosevelt and Taft and two other candidates Of
some importance.
And the total vote for Wilson was l,9s2,4ls less
than the popular vote Of the other candidates CON-
bined
Which suggests that the Armageddon of the
Democratic party is overdue and that the Baltimore
convention didn't dodge Destiny very successfully
after all.