The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-08-02

and state political battles of 1912 will
be contests between the reactionaries
and the progressives of the country
with the standpat, retrogressive ele-
ment lined up behind the Republican
national and state tickets, while all
the progressives will be found sup
porting Governor Woodrow Wilson for
president and the entire Democratic
State ticket, which is headed by Con.
gressman James NJ. Cox, whose entire
career as a public officer stamps him
as beine in the very front rank of the
army Of progressives.
It has been apparent that such
would be the line up in the compaign
this fall since the Republicans, in
both national and state conventions,
adopted standpat platforms. while the
Democrats Of the nation and Ohio took
stands for policies that will bring the
government closer to the people.
Congressman Cox and Chairman
Finley OF the State Democratic Execu.
tive Committee, call the attention OF
the electors to this situation in their
statements commenting on the with
drawal Of Judge T.. b. Dillon.
Congressman Cox said:
"The resignation of Judge Dillon
creates situation without precedent
In the state, and yet the circumstance
IL a clear index to the state of demor.
alization within the Republican party
"The real difficulty In Ohio is not
that OF candidate nor of division with
in the party Judge Dillon Is doubt
less. In equipment and popularity, one
OF the strongest men that have been
suggested for Governor in years, and
yet his candidacy was so handicapped
by the platform of his party that he
regards his withdrawal from the con
test as the part of wisdom. No man
can be elected I'm this state on the Co
lumbus platform. II Is mere vacuity
of words. inane. evasive and sugges
tive OF neither conviction on the live
issues of the day nor sincere pur
pose to aid In the great progressive
movement now going on.
"One needs only to read the plat
form to fully comprehend the confu
sion which must have attended It's con
strucuon. It is apparent that the Re
publican party ia In neither mood mol
condition to deal constructively with
the stupendous needs Of the state. II
the Republicans begin all over again
assemble In convention. frankly avow
their error and outline In platform a
concrete program for the executive
and legislative branches OF the gov
ernment, as the Democrats have done
they may be factor In this years
campaign. Otherwise they will meet
with defeat unparalleled In the his
tory of Ohio politics"
Chairman Finley said:
Judge >DlllOn's withdrawal as the
Republican candidate for Governor
does not surprise the keen political
observer and analyst, granting, as al
do that Judge Dillon Is honest, able
and sincere. granting that he Is en-
dowed with those attributes which en-
title one to aspire to the Office of Gov
ernOr and which include bigness ol
thought and broadness OF scope, to
gether with singleness and integri
ty of,purpose, II was Uncomfortable tha
he should remain on the ticket. Sucf
man cannot follow two standards
cannot follow two Generals marching
In opposite directions, and the fact
that he will not try Il proves that h,
liz such man.
THE Republican party IL passing
through the same travail from which
tho Democratic party has emerged tri
umphant and progressive. ,There/ar,
but two great parties In this repub
lie today. progressive and reaction
airy. Democracy has permanently OK
PEELED Its standpatters and IL truly
progressive In nation and state. The
Republican party Is split. and split up
on fundamentals. The breach withir
Its ranks is AZ irreparable as II was
In the Democratic party, Judge Dillor
nor any other man can mix oil and wa
ter nor coalesce the warning Republic
an factions. And neither Judge Dillon
nor any other honest man will try.
"Who takes Judge Dillon's place
must stand upon the platform he
deserts--a coloriess. reactionary, Tafl
nlatform II canuot ha xvithdr ra wn ~,