Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1912-07-05
THE HOME STRETCH

To-Day ought TO see the con-
summation of the splendid pro-
gress which Governor Wilson's
candidacy has been making from
the beginning.
Not one step of the progress
has been due to any artificial or
underground proceedings. Every
inch that he has gained has been
but the record of a nearer and
nearer approach to the embodi-
ment in actual votes of what is
unquessionably the predominant
sentiment of Democrats of all
sections of the Union and of al
most every shade of political
opinion.
A vast aggregate of voters are
enthusiastically in his favor as
their first choice, and those who
are less ardent in their approval
desire to have him as their candi-
date because he is so unnlistaka-
bly, a man under whose leadership
the party can count with conf
dence upon carrying the election.
Every attempt to stem the Will
son tide has come to naught, for
the simple reason that no pro-
posal that could be set up as a
substitute for his nomination had
in it any element of inherent
strength. Wilson is so pre-emi-
uently the real thing, every other
aspirant falls so manifestly short
of presenting the strong points
which are contained in his cam
didacy, that the only hope of
breaking him down is in mere
manipulation and bargaining and
the growth of the Wilson vote
has been showing that a senti-
ment too powerful to be defeated
| by mere manipulation or bargain
ing is animating the Wilson
movement,
| Unless all signs fail, that senti'
ment is bound to win. 1t is a
| sentiment similar in kind and
similar in volume to that which
was behind Grover Cleveland in
1892, and which led to his victory
| in the convention and his mag
n,fcent success in the election.
In one respect, indeed, the de-
mand of the hour points to the
naming of Wilson even more EN-.
phatically than the situation in
1892 called for that of Cleyeland,
| For the party confronts now, as
it did not confront then, a divi-
son in the Republican party, and
the menace of new party which
may grow to the most formid-
able diamensions. In the situa-
| ton thus developed, tie party
has the good fortune to possess
in its ranks one man whose can
didacy would reduce to insignifi-
canoe the danger threatened by
the new party and convert into
absolute certainly the prospect OF
defeat for the regular Republican
nominee. The question before
the convention is whether it will
take that man for its candidate
or will throw away the splendid
opportunity now so near within
its grasp.
But it is no mere calculation of
the chances of success which
should inspire the representatives
of the Democracy of the nation
in this defamation to make
| Woodrow Wilson the party S can
didate. He will be no mere vote
getter. His candidacy will fill
the party with a high and inspir-
ing spirit. With him as its lead
er, all that is best in the party
will come to the front and the
whole campaign will be fought
on a high level.
The Democratic party will not
only be filled with the animation
and energy born of the confident
expectation of victory, but with
the consciousness that it repre-
| sents worthily the hopes and as
| pirations of the American people
and fulfills the just expectations
of those who, irrespective of the
party, demand in a candidate for
the Presidency the highest stand
ard or intelligence, character
and patriotism. With a candi-
date within reach who presents
such qualifications, both as to
ailability and as to fitness and
with the sentiment of the party
so manifestly behind that candi-
date, the idea of consenting to a
weak or doubtful compromise
must be abhorrent to every think
ing man in the convention.
The country will be satisfied
with nothing less than Woodrow
Wilson. If he is not chosen, the
party will experience dose If |