The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-09-13
WOODROW WILSON
NEXT PRESIDENT
tBy Herman A. Metz


ilege of renewal, of the presidency o
the United States-an Office which
however, republican" may be th'
methods and conditions o fits attain
ment, or democratic" the time limit
OF its tenure, is really, while is endure'
practically as powerful an executive
sovereignty, as anywhere exists not
indeed, in respect Of the literary theory
OF it attributes. but certainly in view
OF the variety, extent and importance
OF the interests and affairs which il
can affect and the degree in which il
affects them.
This year, for the first time in many
years, the really noticeable contestants
for this prize are not two. but three:
one of the two great parties which
have traditionally been the only ones
to be seriously considered, having it.
self suddenly become two parties, as
though by "fissiparism." that physio-
logical process which high authority
defines as follows: Reproducing or
multiplying by fission, or spontaneous
self-diyision, a mode of asexual gener-
alton by division into two or more
parts, each Of which. when completely
separated, becomes a new individual:
it is a usual process among the pro-
tozoans, protophytes and other low or
ganisms." To the same effect the En-
cyclopedia Britannica says: There
are organisms which are fissiparous,
and when cut in two form two fresh in
dependent organisms, so diffused In
the vitality OF the original organism" i"
Some such rather excruciating exper-
fence having been undergone, appar-
emily, by the republican party, of glor-
ious memory. We find 1t now in two
ssgmentsi pretty completely separ-
ated," an deach of which accordingly
(and particularly one of them) now
forms a fresh independent organism" 4"
confronting its twin, an dalso the dem
ocratic party, in the stricken field into
which these three champions have now
all been noisily ushered by their blat-
ant heralds, to fight out the great tri-
angular duel of which the presidency
is to be the prize.
If my metaphors are mixed, the con
fusion may pass as a not inappropriate
feature of an informal comment on a
situation than which nothing could
we'll be conceived as exhibiting a more
bewildering. grotesque. topsey-turvey,
inter-misplacement of its elements;
one widely noted symptom of which is
one which we might most suitably des.
ignate by Mrs. Malaprop's delicious
phrase: "a (mad) arrangements OF
epitaphs.' For it may be as political
"epitaphs." post mortem memorial
eharacterizations, that the epithets
which Messrs. Taft and Roosevelt have
been lavishing upon one another. may
soon, in the light of events, come to be
regarded
After what is perhaps the shortest
and speediest political career on rec,
ord, and after contest in the conven.
tion perhaps unexampled in respect
of length, intensity and bitterness, the
present governor of New Jersey, Wood
row Wilson. has attained, under what
to many, appear to be on the whole
decidedly auspicious circumstances
that near-climaX or high stage and de
gree of political success, of political
ascent, which consists of the official
candidacy for the presidency of the
United States, as the nominee of the
democratic party, that one of the two
great parties of tradition which, un,
like its recently 'fissipared" quondam
rival, to all appearances still preserves
its Integrity" in the sense, at least
of its continuing to be one party, un.
broken, undivided. with substantially
the whole of its normal vote at least
presumably available and likely to
prove actually forthcoming for the
electoral benefit OF its candidate dur
ing the interesting crisis which is to
occur on next election day.
In this situation, everything consid
cred, what of Wilson's chances of be
coming president? Should he be elect
ed, what of his chances of real success
in being president, of his so serving
us in that high Office as that he will
have won glory for himself and pro.
cured real, important, lasting benefits
to the country?
My own opinion is that our candi.
dates chances of success, both in be.
coming and in being president during
the next term, may without irrational
ity and quite sincerely be pronounced
to be gratifying good. This. let me say,
is not the conventional, halfbluffing,
professional optimism of the party
member accepting" the conventions