Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-06-20
FORE CAST OF DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.

The course of the democratic conven-
ton will be largely shaped by the action
of the republican convention. The
democratic platform will set forth the
democratic side of the issues presented
at Chicago. For instance if President
Taft is r%enominated a considerable por.
ton of the platform will be devoted to
pointing out and emphasizing the pro-
sition on the tariff question. His ad-
m~inistration will be condemned for its
sins of omission and commission and an
appeal will be made to progressives to
Join in administering a fitting rebuke to
the administration.
If, on the other hand, Mr.. Roosevelt
is nominated. the paramount issue will
be the third term-shall the traditions
of the nation be over turned? Shall we
embark on the road to a dictatorship?
Shall we intrust the power and pat
ronage of the presidency in the hands of
Il man who might use 1t to keep himself
in power for life.
The third term issue is no trivial thing
the protest against it is not an idle cry
of alarm. A dictatorship is the one
danger which threatens republics. Be-
cause of the intelligence of our people
the danger is less here than elsewhere,
but it is not a danger that we can afford
to invite even here.
No one who has had experience in
public affairs is Indifferent to the fact
that a president has several hundred
thousand oficeholders who can be CO.
creed into activity in his behalf; he
has an army that is obedient to his COM
mand land the standing army has been
doubled since ninety-six) and battle
ships whose guns can overawe our sea-
port cities. Given the desire to estab-
fish a dictatorship, and the man in the
, White House has a material advantage
over any rival in his own party or in any
other party.
But these suggestions are by way of
illustration to show how the action of
our convention will be influenced by the
action of the republican convention. If
a dark horse should happen to be nomi-
mated our platform would have to be
written to correspond with the new con-
ditions which such a result would
create.
In the selection of a candidate, also our
convention can escape from the infu-
ence that will be exerted by a republican
nomination. The democratic nominee
will be a progressive that is already
settled. No r%eactlonary could be nomi-
mated now, even if the republican situa-
ton did not forbid such action on our
part. Mr.. Clark and Mr.. Wilson, both
progressives, will have, together, more
than a majority-possibly two-thirds-
of the convention. While a few re.
dictionaries may be included among
their delegates the number can not be
great enough to give any hope to those
democrats who are hostile to progressive
ideas.
Governor Harmon will have all of his
state, Ohio having adopted the unit
rule, but to his state by 1000 majority
out of nearly 100000 votes cast, and re-
celve less than one-fourth of the vote
he received when he was elected cover
nor, gives him no standing in a %nationa
convention. The progressive elected Is
district delegates in Ohio-more thar
twice as many delegates as MI. Harmon
secured in all the states outside of Ohio
MI. Underwood, the other reactionary
candidate, did not allow his name to ge
before the people in the AZ of the As
states, and he carried only four of the
states, and he was a candidate his
own, and three that boardered on it
In the three neighboring states he hao
a spirited contest and his majority was
not large enough to emphasize his
claims.
If these two men, selected from
among the reactionaries as the two most
popular Of the men holding their views
have made so poor a showing, what
dark horse of the reactionary type would
have a chance TO secure a nomination at
the hands of a progressive convention.
While neither Clark nor Wilson has