Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-05-24
WILL DEMOCRATS
INVITE DEFEAT?

Surely no well-informed democrat
can be deuded into the belief that II
would be party policy to nominate a
reactionary. While the division in
the republican ranks seems to insure
success, unless the Baltimore conVen-
ton makes some egregious mistake,
still the party's chance Of success
rests entirely upon the nomination of
a progressive democrat. upon pro
gressive platform. In no possible con
dngency would 1t be polite to nOmi-
nate a man suspected of reactionary
tendencies.
The republican national convention
may do one Of three things, and no
one at this time can say which. It
may renominate President Taft, but
II 1t does so, it will be through the
Influence Of the southern delegates,
q for Mr.. Taft is not likely to have i
majority of the delegates from the
northern states. In case Mr.. Taft is
nominated, the progressive repub-
licanS- is, the rank and file
would be likely to support any demo
Tat known to be progressive; but as
between Mr., Taft and a reactiOnary
democrat, they would naturally prefer
Mr.. Taft, and thus, with the slump
that would follow among progressive
democrats, would insure Mr.. Taft's
election.
But the Chicago convention may
nominate Mr.. Roosevelt for a third
term, in which case the nomination
OF a reactionary democrat would be
equally fatal, because Mr.. Roosevelt
would draw enough progressive dem
ocratS to offset his loss among the
stand-pat republicans, so that his
election would be assured. The NOM
inatton Of progressive dmeocrat, on
the other hand, would insure the de-
feat of Mr.. Roosevelt, because
progressive democrat would hold the
progressive vote, and the republicans
who oppose Mr.. Roosevelt would have
nowhere else to go and vote the dem
ocratic ticket from necessity.
But a third contingency is possible.
The fight between Taft and Roose-
velt has become so bitter that they
may be put aside and a dark horse
nominated. If LaFollette should hap
pen to be the lucky man, it would
take a very strong progressive dem
ocrat to hold all Of the democratic
votes. A reactionary democrat would
be defeated before the battle was be-
gun. If the dark horse proved to be
man satisfactory to both the RoOse-
Velt and the Taft element, democrat
ic chances would be very much les
sened, and no one could hope for sue
cess; unless he was in a position to
take advantage OF the progressive
sentiment of the couDtry-a reaction
ary would have no possible show of
election. This is the situation, as
anyone must clearly see who win
give a moments time to the serious
consideration Of politics.
Why, then, are the democrats will
ing to invite defeat by encouraging
the candidacy of a reactionary? It is
easy enough to understand the tao
ties Of Wall street, because Wall
street has no politics. 1t does not
matter to Wall street whether the
president is a democrat or a repub-
hcan, provided he goes to Wall street
for advice. What Wall street wants
= Is TO nominate both tickets, and then
elect the republican ticket; for it is
beyond Wall streets power to elect
the democratic ticket, even if it want
ed to. 1t cannot throw its entire in
fluence to the democratic ticket, for
however satisfactory the candidate
himself may be to Wall street, Wall
street is afraid of the democratic
party, and it knows that democrat
ic president could not carry out Wall
streets policies, even if he used all
the patronage in his effort to do so.
The most that Wall street could do
Is TO nominate a democrat who would
be easily defeated; and having nomi-
mated a man whom the rank and fibe
of the party would not support, it
would then abandon him to his fate
and leave the party where it left it
In 1904.
Can it be possible that the demo
Gratis, who have fought so lOyally for
twenty years against the predatory
interests, can be duped at this time;
and are they willing to throw away
the best chance they have had Of
victory, merely to please the element
that has brought defeat to the party
for sixteen years? VIII the demo