Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-07-31
THE NEW PARTY.

The convention held here yesterday
may we'll be treated as the represen-
tatives OF new party. AS to the
longevity of that new party, every
man and woman is entitled to a
guess. Our own judgment is that ii
Theodore Roosevelt should die today
the new party would be inferred in
the same sepulchre, for, give the or
ganization such name as you will, it
| is a Roosevelt party nevertheless.
| 1t is to Roosevelt the incense is
burned. 1t is to Roosevelt the in
cantations are chanted. 1t is leoose-
welt who is the political denli-god
whose magic wand in the belief of
his followers shall usher in the new
liberty and cause the hills and val
leys of America to yield the solden
fruitage of individual plenty ald
blossom with the roses of civic bliss.
To the man who delights in study
ing the evolutionary character of our
national politics yesterdays cohven-
tion was well worth his time. We do
not believe that Iowa ever saw
more wonderfully heterogeneous ag-
gregation of politicians with suppos-
edly divergent views assembled under
one roof
Every shade of belief and oonvic-
ton was represented. Take, for ex-
ample, the committee on resolutions.
In its membership we found ex-Sel-
ator Jas. A. Smith of Mitchell coun-
ty. a radical insurgent-progressiye;
). illiam O. Payne of Story county,
long known as standpat republi-
can. and E. j. Stason of Woodbury.
county, who when asked his political
faith replied that he had been char
acterized as "a mugwumpian-de
crat of the New York Evening Post
school,"
| The three gentlemen named had a
major part in the preparation OF the
platform which was finally adopted
by unanimous vote.
We heard men debating in the var
ious district caucuses who told OF
how they had helped organize the old
populist and greenback parties, were
proud of the record, and Eappy to
be alive to assist in the christening
ceremonies of the new organization.
The convention was not disposed
to be captious or critical about new
declaration of principles SO long as
dIl OI Tie llCMCI ioHiS WCtC oh'>h
generous recognition The one thing
in which all were vitality interested
was that the platform should con-
tain eulogy of Roosevelt; denun-
citation of Taft. and repYdiation OF
the Chicago republican national con-
vention and all it's works.
When A. ID. Pugh, the local right
hand man of Eugene Debs, found his
way into the convention on the proxy
of an accommodating member of the
Polk county delegation and made a
consistent argument that an indorse-
ment of the recall" should be ad-
ded to that of the initiative and ref
erepdum, the convention gave every
indication that it was in sympathy
with the proposition and only foxy
coup de etat on the part or Judge
Stevens prevented the adoption or the
Pugh amendment.
What will be the result of this new
concrete factor in Iowa politics! we
do not know. We are simply dis
posed to record that 1t Is one with
which the candidates for Office VIII
have to reckon.
There was powerful uadercur-
rent in the convention in favor OF the
nomination of a third ticket. This
element was kept in subsection by the
leaders only through the plea that
such action would net be permissible
under the official call and that there
would be plenty of time to take that
step after tie Chicago convention.
Candidates, for state ofilces can
therefor realize that sword OF pa-
mocles Is still suspended above their
anxious heads and Is liable TO re-
main there for several weeks 10
come. Meanwhile they can carry on
a whispering campaign and hope Tor
the best--Des Moines Capital.