The Washington herald., 1912-03-10
THE POLITICAL SITUATION

Through the mist and the fog of the
political situation one fact looms large.
For the first time in nearly sixteen
years, during which period it has been
wandering in the wilderness, the Demo-
cratic party now has an opportunity to
reach the promised land.
The Democratic organization went to
pieces in 1896. 1t was hopelessly di-
vided On the one hand stood Grover
Cleveland. obstinate as to his views, en-
tertaining no spirit of compromise, de-
termined that the party should go down
TO defeat rather than he would yield.
On the other hand, Bryan led i large
following of believers in the free COIN
age of silver and many advanced the
ories of government The split in the
party was fatal To-day the situation
is reversed, 1t is the Republican
party which is rent in twain. The Re
publicans are quarreling among them
selves. Their internal warfare grows
more bitter every day The Democrats
are reasonably harmonious. displaying
some cohesion and common-sense. If
they cannot win this year, with the odds
in their favor, they might as well ahan-
don themselves to the position of a
permanent minority.
1t may be interesting. inaSmuch as
the reviews of the political situation
which have appeared in The Washing
ton Herald during the past few weeks
have dealt largely with conditions in
the Republican party, to discuss briefly
cratic party this year bases It's hope of
victory. First and foremost, of course,
IS the apparent decentralization in the
Republican ranks This is the largest
asset in the Democratic column. 1t is
a self-evident fact that when the Re-
publicaps are united they are hard to
defeat Much comfort, therefore, do
the Democrats derive from the spec:
tacle OF President Taft denouncing the
progreSsIvcS in his own party as "po-
litical neurotics," and the present man.
ager of the Roosevelt faction accusing
the administration of using marked
cards and loaded dice" With genuine
delight they see the publicity agents of
the Taft bureau dipping their pens in
gall and indulging in all manner of sat-
ire, not to say abuse, at Roosevelts ex-
pense They note with inward satisfac-
ton that while Roosevelt is accused of
receiving financial support from trust
that is menaced with indictment, the
fact becomes known that the Taft cam
paign committee in 1908 was under OBJ
legation to the same corporation
1t is true that the Republican party
has happy faculty of getting together
on election day, but the Democrats do
not believe that the wide chasm which
now exists can be closed between now
and next November. 1t must be ad-
mItted that there is some basis for this
belief The administration managers
have been brought to a realizing sense
of the danger of personal campaign.
They know that many influential Re-
publicans have seriously considered the
advisability, when they meet in national
convention at Chicago, of suggesting
that both Taft and Roosevelt be elm
mated as candidates and some one be
named who has not become embroiled
in the bitter struggle Consequently,
there has been cessation of person.
alities, so far as the Taft bureau is con-
cerned. The matter which it now fur
nishes to the press is as mild as spring
weather. 1t deals only with what might
be called legitimate news, and refrains
from caustic comment. Even Timothy
Woodruff hastens to explain that the
Republican organization is not making
war upon Roosevelt, even though the
friends of President Taft are deter
mined to achieve the latter's renomina-
ton
The probability is, however, that this
is merely lull in the Storm. Roose-
welt will force the fighting, even if the
Taft men will not. Already he threatens
TO throw bomb into the Taft camp,
and everybody knows that Roosevelt is
Of a bornb-throwing disposition. The
outlook is, therefore, that before long
the two factions of the party will be at
each other again, hammer and tongs.
The Taft administration will be en-
barrassed and annoyed at every turn
by the Roosevelt managers, and it will
be compelled, in self-defense, to reply
III kind. The President will not of
course, be willing party to this war
fare. He is of the temperament which
deplores rongh-and-tumble politics. The
mselstrom is swirling around him,
however, and he cannot escape it.
And the situation which now existsl