The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-04-12
THE PROGRESS OF THE CAM.
PAIGN

Some extremely shady work is be-
ing done for Wilson and we will not
follow the silly example of the Allan
Ia Journal by saying We believe he
knows nothing of it. We believe he
inspires it. 1t is not strange that a
man who has butted into a democratic
campaign armed with nothing but an
un-democratic record and the avowal
of populistic principles should feel it
necessary to do shady work when he
finds himself in competition with
statesmen who have been fighting
for the party when he was voting the
republican ticket, or remaining away
from the polls. 1t is not strange that
he should think it necessary to make
false charge nor is it strange that
one who would somersault from the
republicans to the populistic camp
while all the time claiming to be a
democrat should be willing to make
them if he hoped to gain by it.
Wilson did not vote for Bryan in
1896 nor in 1900. Underwood and
Clark not only voted for him, but
were with him heart and soul. Will
son, as late as 1907, denounced as
populists all democrats who were
heartily supporting the democratic
ticket. Clark and Underwood were
with the men he denounced. When
Wilson became a candidate he not
only took back all he had said, but
went clear beyond the democratic po-
sition and stands much closer to La
Toilette and Cummins than to the
men who controlled the Denver con-
vention or the men who have been
a winning democratic fight in
congress.
Gov. Wilson may have been sim
cere in refusing to vote the demo-
cratic ticket because he thought it
savored of populism. Many men
were. He may be sincere now in con-
tending for the initiative and referen-
dunn. Many men are. But he is the
only man we know who has jumped
from one extreme to the other, and
we believe he was insincere or is in
sincere in one of his two opposite po-
sitions. Or supposing him sincere in
both we do not believe the democrats
will nominate or the people would
elect man who had made over all
his political principles after he en-
tered the fight for the nomination.
Union.
Not an additional word need be
appended to this statement 1t is
complete and conclusive. Long be-
fore the assembling of the Baltimore
the democrats of the Unit
ed States will have discovered not
merely the unreliable character of
the governor of New Jersey, but the
character of the movement
for his nomination. His press agency
Is a pure fakir; his candidacy an at
tempted imposition upon the popular
credulity. Born in Wall Street, con-
ceived in Harper's Weekly, brought
forth by Jim Smith, it has sought to
70 10 hn foil Nf
liam Jennings Bryan, with obvious in
tention. Next to the Roosevelt third
term fiasco, it has been making itself
most noisy and absurd. 1t will col
lapse entirely when the party comes
to realize that the mock hero is the
only nominee we cannot possibly
elect.
That, indeed, is why so many re-
publican newspapers are helping it
along. Intelligent people have but
to read these to understand the drift
of the wind. There are undoubtedly
many good democrats and worthy
persons lured into the Wilson camp.
The chance governor of New Jersey,
and late president of Princeton, has
a taking way with him. He is an
able and an accomplished man. But
he lacks every element that enters
into the making of a good president
whilst his record is full of seams and
snares which would make him bad
Hence, wherever one may
be found who hates democracy and
wishes i'll to the democratic party, he
is for Wilson,-H. W., in Courier
Journal.
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