The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-06-17
Writer and Philosopher Be-
lieves Taft Will Be Nomi-
mated on Third Ballot
Talks of Bryan.
BY CARL MOTE.

CHICAGO, ILL.,, June 17-"Taft will
be nominated on the third ballot. The
vote of New York state will leave Taft
after the first ballot and be cast for
a third man whom you couldn't name
in nine guesses. Theodore Roosevelt
is fundamentally without ATTY fixed
principles but is honestly deceived IN
himself President Taft will be defeat
ed in the fall elections. Gaynor or I'M
derwood are the two logical men for
the Democrats to nominate
Ambling hither and thither through
the pensive vale of reason-iro1n
cause to effect-John Spargo, social
list, author and philosopher, neighbor
of George w. Perkins, and friend of
DR.. Lyman Abbott, sat in his room in
Chicago hotel last night and dis
cussed with me the impending enigma
of the grand old party-Whither is it
tending?
Spargo will be remembered by the
people of indianapolis who followed
the proceedings of the last socialist
national convention. He is an ultra
conservative Socialist, big stick
with reverse English, operating
against the radicals instead of the
standpatters in his party. He is chair
, man of several important committees
member of the socialist national
executive committee and author Of 4
book THE Bitter Cry of the Children,
that inspired Ex-senator Beveridge to
wage a stubborn fight for the regula-
ton of child labor.
Il don't think Roosevelt can be Aom.
| mated" remarked Spargo. 1.-TWO weeks
ago l did not think there would be a
| bolt in the convention even if the
steam roller did it's worst. l am not
so sure of that now If by any chance
Roosevelt should be nominated, the
only man whom the Democrats can
produce to oppose him is William Jen
nings Bryan. The Commoner is not a
| candidate but he is human and would
not decline the nomination if, after
three defeats, the party again should
give him a vote of confidence in a
fourth nomination. Bryan can defeat
| Roosevelt. l am not so sure any other
Democrat can.
Suppose the Baltimore convention
is deadlocked Suppose Bryan should
| take the floor of the convention in a
plea for harmony and a compromise
Upon whom would the mind of that
convention naturally turn as the com
promise?"
Spargo did not answer the question
He indicated the answer with a unique
gesture. And Spargo has talked with
Bryan about this very contingency
within the past two weeks. They are
| good friends. 1t is not in the record
that Bryan answered the question.
Theodore Roosevelt is not loyal,
| continued Spargo. He is not loyal tC
his party. He is not loyal to his
! friends. He is not loyal to principle
| is honest in his own deception. Dr. Alb
| bolt once gave me an invitation tC
dine with Roosevelt and | agreed tc
accept and talk Socialism with the ex
president, as requested. on condition
that he would bring back from Roose
welt the assurance that he had read
three books on Socialism which
would name. DR.. Abbott has never
made a report.
j Roosevelt will not permit his atten
| ton to be focused upon something he
does not want to consider. Point out
to him one situation and he will fence
by suggesting another and emphasiz
ing it as the fundamental fact that is
| controlling"
Against Taft, the Democrats should
nominate Underwood, Spargo believ
es.' The long-persistent idea of sec
tional prejudice, he asserted, if it ex
lists at all, exists only in the South, the
section that suffered most from the
civil war.
with Underwood as the candidate
he maintained, the Democrats could
go before the country with the insist
| ent plea that we are at last a united
nation: that sectional prejudice il
dead and that the time is over-ripe te
| support periodically q presidential