The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-09

r.
the national convention, who actually
bring about that result The real
electors of The country, the men who
iinaily decide who shall III! the of
noes. arc those who belong 10 no
party. and who are in consequences
swung back and forth between the
leading factions as their reason or
their feelings, their symDathics or
their prciudiccs may lead them IL IS
to this class of voters that the party
leaders must cater II they are TO win
success.
| 1t is not the man the Democrats
want who should receive tho Demo
cratic nomination. nor is 1t tho man
the Republicans want who should re-
ccivc the Republican nomination, but
ii Is the man the Independent voter
wants who Is going to win. and with
MIN the party wise enough TO select
him
1t is true that sometimes party
fans 30 low in the national estimation
that none OF Its candidates can be
elected. and it is also true that n
party sometimes rises 30 high in the
peoples confidence that almost any
man they select can win. Both con-
ditiona illustrate an unfortunate ma
tional condition because either per-
inits the dominant party to put for
ward candidate who Is acceptable
b to tho party rather than TO the in
dependent voter, who represents so
much thnt.is best In our national life.
IL We conccdc that the unattached
vote holds the balance OF power, 1t
becomes interesting to analyze it's
component parts. which seem to fall
naturally into the following classes:
l. business men Who desire stable
conditions under reasonable terms.
:. Adventurous spirits who seek
change TO profit by the confusion.
8 Lukewarm Republicans who Will
only support the party under the
pressure of unusual excitement.
4. Lukcwarm Democrats who viii
only support the party under pressure
of unusual excitement.
.. Members of other parties who,
dcspa ring of the election OF their
own choice, ally themselves with what
they term the lesser evil.
G. The rising generation. who would
generally choose the proper course II
they only knew how.
1t is to these six classes that the
politicians must cater, rather than to
he party leaders, in the coming con-
ventions, for never during the past
twenty years has there been an out
look where the staunch party men.
the men who would vote for the
| Devil himself at the head OF their
ticket, appeared so helpless when de-
privcd of the support OF the 1luctu-
atins Independent vote as In the COM
ing election.
Since MIR. Bryan's first defeat no
sane man has for one moment doubt
cd that the Republican nominee
would be elected, but this year there
= ,,l,,
; of the pendulum of popular prejudice
toward the opposite side, and it de-
wolves upon the Republicans to arrest
that tendency, upon the Democrats to
acccrtuatc it. In the selection of the
presidential candidate lies tho means.
/ Taft and Harmon, Wilson and
Roosevelt pose before us, ench with
! his Claim 10 some fraction of the In
dependent vote. Any one OF tho four
can poll tho vote of his party ma
chine. but who can swing the largest
section Of the unattached minority?
Let us cndcayor to forecast it's lean
| ings, but before we proceed to the
analysis it would be proper to point
out that the party Iirst to act, if 1t
, guess rightly, has an immense adj
vantage, and is virtually beaten IL It.
! makes an error, for there seems to be
Ian established precedent. I'm the
selection OF candidates, Whlch re-
oIiires that the personality OF the
men should differ as widely as the
principles for which they stand. and
which in sense allows the members
! of the convention first TO act to OK
erciso some control over the choic
of the succeeding convention
! Especially is this true as applied t,
the four candidates above mentione,
! for they divide themselves natural
| into two classes across the party line
Taft and Harmon stand together as
conservative mon, appealing to tho
same interest, prejudices, and SYM
pathics, the reactionary of NIL classes;
| they are tho odd mems candidates.
! Wilson and Rooscvclt, closely allied
in the attributes with which popular
opinion invests them. appeal strongly
to the adventurous, the progressive
and the hopeful; they are the can.
! didatos of youth. So far an Squality.
| otIcr reSncrfq their