Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-03-28
USE FAvoRITE SON SCHEME.
Money Powers Make II the Field
Against Wilson to Defeat
Progressive.
BY gibson GARDNER.


streets efforts to prevent the nomina
ton of Woodrow Wilson and to con
troll the democratic national conven-
tim are becoming more evident every
day. The plan is to split the conven-
ton up In every possible way and the
fayorite son scheme is strongest play
at this time.
For instance, there Is the candidacy
of Senator Thomas s. Martin of Vir.
ginia. The suggestion Of Martin as a
presidential candidate Is joke which
to be appreciated one must know Mar.
tin. The senate Is In commissions over
It,
Martin is a standpat reactionary OF
no ability, who cannot even make a
standpat speech. He has maintained
his control in Virginia by the most
obvious and notorious Of the common
corrupt political practices.
or course, the purpose of Martins
candidacy Is to take Virginia out OF
the Wilson column. Previously Vir-
ginia had declared for Woodrow Will
son. one of her native sons. The peo-
pie of Virginia want him and there
ia n strong public sentiment there as
In other southern states in favor Of Il
southerner as the partys candidate
and of man who stands for real de-
mocracy as against reaction.
The Underwood candidacy is of the
same sort When It was first an
nounced Underwood himself said that
his candidacy was merely little per
sonai compliment to himself and that
he would not permit It to stand In the
way of Wilson or any popular favor
Ito.
Now the Underwood candidacy Is n
much more serious matter. Its let
tiers have gone to thousands of south
ern newspapers Offering the newspa-
pers money If they will print matter
booming Underwood. The purpose
again is to take Alabama out of the
Wilson column. Underwood Is being
groomed now as the legatce of Iar-
mons strength. 1t Is felt that Har-
mon has gone stale rs candidate.
Underwood has, on the other hand,
made good with Wall street He raj
lied the reactionary forces of the
democratic majority In the house of
representatives and showed what he
could do as n reactionary leader In
opposing Bryan and killing Represen-
tative ienry's resolution for an in
vestigation of the money trust.
He co-operated with leader Mann OF
tho reactionary republican element In
putting a reactlonary on the rules
committee to succeed the late Rep
resentative Madison OF Kansas.
lIe made friends with the wool
trust by sidetracking schedule X and
bringing forward doubtful schedules.
He made alliances with Fitzgerald,
Cannon'a democratic aide in the house.
and has outlined legislative program
which Ia eminently satisfactory to
the reactionary elements.
Unfortunately, Speaker Champ
Clark has allied himself with Under
wood and the reactionaries in the
house organization. In order to make
friends for his presidential boom Clark
turned over the real power of house
leadership to Underwood and cooper
ated with the latter within the last
week In securing an amendment to
the rules restoring large element
of "Cannonism" } the house organic
alton.
Ii any question remains as to how
Clarke Is regarded by Wall street such
question would be removed by the po-
sition which Hearst has taken. or
late years Hearst has abandoned his
role as champion of the people and Is
an open ally of big financial interests.
Politically he Is In the field with his
tremendous publicity weapon purely
AZ a buccaneer.
His present game Ia to boost Clark
In order to tear down Woodrow Will
son and to bring confusion to the con.
vention In the hope that he (Hearst)
may get the nomination by falling heir
to the political strength of various
candidates such as Clark. Harmon and
Underwood
Hearst has tremendous amount
of money and since he has made his
alliances with big business he has not
much opposition from that quarter.
Under the present system of ma
chine controlled conventions and hand.
picked delegates the Taggart-Murphy
Sullivan Guffey Hearst Underwood
combine may control more than a
third of the delegates in the Baltimore
convention. and that 1t will be u throw
of the dice as to who will be the cand-
date after Woodrow Wilson has been
thrust upon the scrap heap.