Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-12-19
3-CORNERED
Fight sure
FOR 1916
G. 0. P. WILL STILL STICK
1t is Good for One More
Round With Democracy

Washington, D. c., Dec. 1S.-If the
conference of Progressive party lead
ers in Chicago can be said to mean
anything this far ahead of another ma
tional campaign, it means three
cornered fight in 1916 and a second
democratic administration.
The very evident determination of
the Progressives to nominate Theodore
Roosevelt for the Presidency again and
the equally evident willingness of tie
Colonel to accept the honor SENS to
end all talk of eliminating the form
er President from the political eQua-
ton.
Mr.. Roosevelt does not intend to be
eliminated. His friends apparently do
not propose to be parties to an elm
| nation plot, and there the matter ends.
Obviously it is useless for the Roose-
Welt opposition to undertake to SEND
tn former candidate to back seat,
when neither he nor his party even
consider the idea.
And this is the condition which will
make it impossible for the old and the
new parties to get together. AS long as
oRosevelt is the big factor in the Pro-
gresive party, just that long will a
union of the factions be opposed by
the forces that now dominate the Re-
publican party and that dominated IT
when the former President was defeat
ed for the nomination at the Chicago
convention.
These forces have imposed but one
condition in all the negotiations that
have so far been initiated for reor-
ganization of the Republican party.
That condition has been that Roose-
welt be sacrificed. If these terms had
been or should later be accepted by
4 the Progressives, all other differences
might be adjusted
Now that the terms have been re-
ieeted no further overtures are likely
to be made to the Insurgents to return
to the fold. Any rehabilitation that
takes place in the Republican party
will be predicated upon the fact that
the third party is a permanent organ
ization and that the loss to it will
simply have to, be charged up as ire
deemable.
There are no good signs either thai
the old party is dead or is about to be
absorbed by the new. 1t will have
more than 80 members of the next Sen
ate. 1t will have considerably more
than 100 members of the next House
and with this much salvage from tn,
wreck it is in a position to maintain
respectable opposition to the Demo
cratic program.
There is also enough life left in tht
old party to put up at least one more
fight for the Presidency The fact tha
Roosevelt is head of the Progressiv,
party and without doubt will be its
nominee furnishes all the incentiv'
that many Republicans will need tt
keep up their own organization.
All this summed up seems to assure
the Democrats of at least eight years
of control at least. With conditions il
1916 as they were in the campaign o.
1912, it will be next to impossible u
defeat the Democratic candidate
whether he be Bryan or Wilson OF
some enc else.
There is but one way in which the
) Democratic party can be defeated, as
it now appears, and that is by the
party defeating itself This it can dc
by violating its pledges or by breakine
upon the same rock upon which tht
Republicans dashed themselves.
The Democrats are committed to q
progressive administration that pro.
crosses. The mere fact that such
program was guaranteed by the Bait
more convention went far to render I'M
necessary the Roosevelt party. The
Progressive organization can be made
lust as useless in 1916 as in 1912, lead
ing Democrats believe, if the coming
administration keeps the faith.
In any event all signs now point tt
precisely the same general conditions
four years from now as obtained wher
the November election was held oRose
welt will be the candidate of his party
Some ractionary Republican probably
will lead his and the Democrats viii
be compelled to stand upon their rec
ord Of achievement.
This means a thrae-cornered contest
with the odds favoring the Democrats
There probably will be enough Re
rubicans left who refuse to become
reconciled to Roosevelt to prevent his
elert'on should the Democratic parN
Aold its own.
Some people talk necessarily just tC
keep other people from finding out tha
they have nothing to say.