The Detroit times., 1912-06-26
Editorials by the People.
4 View OF ,he P0IItIeaI sItu.tI0n.

To the Editor OF The Times:
The Republican party committed
suicide at Chicago. The great hnan-
cial interests OF the country repre-
sented by the Republican politicians
nominated Tart. a conservative. In
so doing, the great financial Interests
sought to remain in power; and the
politicians thought TO preserve them
selves. instead. they killed the Re
publican party.
The Democratic party may do like.
wise at Baltimore. The great imam
cial interests of the nation. represent
ed by the Democratic politicians may
nominate nservative-Harmon
or Clark. The only way for the Dem
oeratic party TO preserve Itself Is 10
nominate a progressive-Bryan VI
Wilson or a dark horse
For. party alignment has long been
fa,se The words. Democrat and Re
publican, have no Significance what
ever, except as terms In political his
tory. There has been In the past an
Issue between the Republican and
Democratic parties-the tariff. In the
early economic growth OF the country,
this issue was real II is now formal
The mass of the voters OF both these
parties know that the tariff should
have been, and ought to be, revised
Downward: those of The Republican
party have said, according to the
principle of a protective tariff: those
OF the Democratic party have said, ac-
cording to the principle OF tariff
for revenue. But neither party has
revised the tariff downward The
mass OF people have been defeated.
on this as upon other issues, by the
financial interests working through
the political organizations OF both the
Democratic and Republican parties.
This has finally brought about crisis
which has made clear 10 all the true
party alignment.
There are today only two real par
ties-the progressive and the consery-
alive. The financial interests, those
in sympathy with them, and the poll
ticians OF both the formal parties
through whom they work. are the
conservatives-they want things 10
remain as they are. The mass or vet
ers OF both the formal parties are the
! Progressives they want change.
The financial interests have been III
! power; they want 10 remain in pow
/ err: the people have not been In pow
( er: and they want to come into power
This is the true party alignment.
| Neither the Democratic nor RepCb-
/ lican parties have beer progressive
| They have both been controlled by
! political organizations representative
OF great selfish interests, and have
| been conservative. The Republican
4 party at Chicago has just proved that
4 ii Is going 10 continue TO be conserva-
! tive. IL has just pledged its fealty for
! four years more 10 the financial In
| terests. II only remains TO be seen
! whether the Democratic party will do
! likewise at Baltimore. II IL does. both
Of these old parties are dead. and out
of the progressive elements OF both
OF them will come a new party which
will more honestly express the will
OF the people This new alignment or
parties is bound 10 come anyway In
time. but the convention at Baltimore
will determine whether II Is TO come
now
The Democratic party at Baltimore
may nominate a conservative-Har-
mon or Clark II II does, Roosevelt
at the head of the progressive ele-
ments OF both parties coalesced into
a new party, will sweep the country;
for Taft will never again be presi-
dent. Or il may nominate a Progress
sive. either Bryan or Wilson-the
Democratic donkey will not be hitch
ed TO dark horse. for II there is a
deadlock in the convention IL will he,
as at Chicago, between the conservs-
tive and progressive elements of the
party. and not between any two men,
Bryan is still politically ambitions
and the idol OF the masses; he is q
great orator and will be on the floor
OF the convention as a delegate from
Nebraska There VIII be great ex-
element. and by a great speech he
may, as he did in 1896, sweep all be-
fore him. But the Democratic don
key has three times been jackass
enough 10 be sacrificed on the cross
OF his political ambition Let us hope
II will now be a true mule, and balk
at being saddled for a fourth unfortu
nate journey. But in Wilson the
Democratic party has the man for the
crisis now facing tone who has
profound knowledge of our institu
tons, sound and broad and deep eco
monte judgment which Bryan lacks
and which Is the need OF the times
splendidly independent, honest, dem
ocratic character one who Is a true
and great Progressive. And we are
, soon to learn whether the Democratic
party viii also commit suicide, al
Baltimore, or whether it will lead the
nation for many years to come under
Wilson A PROGRESSIVE.
/ Detroit, June "a, 1912.