Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1912-06-06

Leaders Who Fought Him As Radicol
Non Realise Bryqn Danger, Turn
ing Back.


pht0 North A7lleTfeu7a.
Woodrow Wilson'S nomination by the
Democrats is again probable. It Isl
made probable by the growth Of sem
tlment IN favor Of William Jennings
Bryan and the fear that. if the fight
against Wilson IS continued by the ~
dictionary Democratic leaders and psl &
papers along the lines that have
pursued, the convention win stampede
to Bryan.
Of this, Democratic members Of the
House make no concealment. They
have themselves become the victims
of their own plots to force the nopina-
ton of reactionarY. At the begin
ming Of the campaign whatever public
sentiment existed among the Demo-
cratic voters respecting any prospective
candidate was all in favor of Woodrow.
Wilson But Wilson is Progressive,
and the majority Of the Democratic
leaders were decidedly reactionary.
Then began the organized campaign
to stifie and suppress the Woodrow
Wilson ssntimenh The sspecial-priv-
ilege-supporting Democratic newspa-
pers joined in the campaign. The alli-
ance between Clark, Underwood and
Harmon was formed, through which
plan was put into effect to fight VII
son in each State with an opposing can
didate likely to be strongest in the par
ticular State fought for. Favorite-
son candidates were encouraged. The
natural and certain effect Of this was
to prevent the creation of public senti-
ment for any candidate proposed, and
brought the Democrats close to the
time of holding their convention with
SO little public interest in their plans
and prospects as to indicate clearly that
nothing the leaders in Congress might
do could arouse the Democratic public
[ from its apathy.
But the voters were not entirely in
different. They felt not unnatural
interest in the coming convention.
They saw that machine organizations,
backed by special privilege. were max
ing the nomination of Woodrow Wilson
impossible. They recognized that
i special privilege and the machine bosses
were striving to nominate Clark or
Underwood or Harmon or some other
man satisfactory to special privilege.
They refused to fall in with this plan,
refused to accept one of the candidates
proposed to them by the machines, and
turned as naturally to Bryan as the
Progressive Republicans have turned
to Roosevelt to prevent the renomina.
ton of Taft and the continued domino.
tion of special privilege in Republican
politics.
The plotters and sctDmers, who hac
decided that the action of the Demo
cratic convention should be the result
Of manipulation, and that the candidate
named should be man SO satisfactory
to special privilege that special priv
ilege would support him. were suddenly
forced to realize that, while catering
to special privilege, they had absolute
Iy lost the confidence of the Democratic
voters.
Then only was it seen how stupen
dous had been the blunder of the Dem
! ocrati: organization in fighting Wilson
Then only was 1t realized that all the
plans to subject the Democratic party
to the control of special privilege were
Likely to be blocked by the rank ane
file of the party itself. and that i
Woodrow Wilson could not be nominal
ed, Bryan probably would be,
| Between the two, the majority O.
House and Senate Democrats prefel
Woodrow Wilson, because they believe
he has better chance of election. TIL.
coming nomination of Theodore Roose
velt has, of course, had very grea
effect upon Democratic politicians
When the Democratic leaders of thu
House first started in to nominate ;
reactionary and to fight Progressive
policies, as represented by Wilson
they thought Taft would be nominated
and that Taft could be beaten by am
Democrat who could read and writ,
and had not been convicted Of crime.
That was one Of the consideration
that made them seek the support o
special privilege, They did not neet
that support, they figured. in order t,
elect their man, but they were hungr!
to do business with the great combina
tions that had SO absolutely controllet
the Taft administration.
When it became apparent that Roose
welt was to he nominated instead o
Taft, the Democratic bosses realized a
once that they must put forward thei
strongest candidate, if they are t
have the slightest chance in a figh
against Roosevelt. They had know
from the beginning that Wilson is tn
strongest man they can select, bu
with characteristic Democratic sim
! plicity they had refused to consider hin
! as candidate until they had themselve
so weakened him by false and maliciou
attacks upon him that even he is re
garded with doubt by many of tn
voters.
It is feared, too. by the Democrat
4