Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-06-25


and is on the job with both feet, like
wise both elbows, both hands, both
eyebrows and Il perfectly marvellous
mouth TO hear him tell it, his can
didate has corralled all the delegates
except small minority that were
fraudulently elected. also are weak
minded, crooked and afflicted with 9TH
er faults.
At noon of June 25 Norman e.
Mack, chairman of the Democratic ma
tional committee, calls the convention
to order in the Fifth regiment armo-
ry, Baltimore. He will look out on
the largest convention ever assembled
in America, 1904 delegates, as many
more alternates and probably $4,000
other people. Likewise he will face
the brightest outlook for victory that
the Democrats have seen in twenty
years. He will see on the floor as
delegate at large from Nebraska the
man who has thrice been the standard
bearer of the party.
There will be seven avowed candi-
dates before the convention. How
many will there be after the first bal
vt?
1t is now plain that no man will
have a majority on the first ballot
Seven pronounced candidates are i'll
the field and the order of their strength
as nearly as it can be arrived at is as
follows: Champ Clark will be in the
lead, with Woodrow Wilson not far
behind. Third place will rest between
Judson Harmon and Oscar w. Under
wood. Governors Marshall of Indiana,
Baldwin of Connecticut and Burke of
North Dakota will each have the vote
of his state and possibly a few dele
gates besides. Several dark horses will
be in the background notable among
them being William j. Bryan, Mayor
w. J. Gaynor of New York and Sena-
tor John w. Kern of Indiana. The
ninety delegates from New York state
are not instructed and if they should
| be thrown to Gaynor he would at once
become a formidable candidate. 1t is
believed that Indiana would at any
time throw her thirty votes to Kern, if
he should have a chance for the nomi-
nation. AS for Bryan, there is more
or less sentiment for him in most Of
the delegations that might develop into
a stampede in case of deadlock. He
will be a delegate. and the country is
not without evidence of what that
tongue may do with national eOnven-
ton.
| A United Democracy.
The meeting will be under bright aus
pices. The party will be more near
ly united than it has been at any time
since 1893 1t has more than sixty
majority in the national house Of rep
resentatives. governors of most of the
states. a strong working minority of
the United States senate that, with the
assistance of the La Toilette Repub-
licans, often becomes an actual major
ity; the administration Of the two chief
cities and Of a majority of the other
large cities Of the country and pros
pect of victory that increases with
every turn of the political wheel. 1t
faces a foe rent in twain by interne-
cine warfare. 1t was during the sec
ond Cleveland administration that the
Democratic party was torn by internal
dissensions AS a result it has been
out of power for nearly fifteen years
Now the shoe is on the other foot; the
Republicans are split and the Demo
Gratis are united. Does this mean as
long swing of the pendulum in the
other direction?
The historic associations of Balti
more will remind the delegates that the
party can look back on more than lit
years of unbroken party existence
The groundwork was laid during the
debates on the constitution and the ad
ministration of Washington. The ac
tual beginning of the party as a ma
tional entity was the candidacy o
Thomas jefferson for the presidenc
in 1896. Four years later he was elec'
ed and for nearly quarter OF Ger
tury the Democratic-R Republican part
held complete sway. Then came tn
four years hiatus of John Quincy Ao
ans. who called himself a national Re
publican and was really the founder
the Whig party. After that twelv
wears of Jackson and Van Buren an