The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-01-30

doubt, that salvation rests in the en-
tire reformation of the party and
the bringing to the front of new
brand Of leaders. If there is to be
any republican party in the futu e
that republican party must be pro-
gressive; and it doesn't make a party
progressive to reform its system of
delegate representation. What the
republican party needed, and what it
didn't get. was the complete aban-
donment of old leaders and old prin-
ciples, and a proper readjustment in
accordance with the temper of the
people.
A convention would have helped
At that convention it might have
been possible to state, with some
definiteness just what the republican
party-revived and purged-might
be expected to stand for, just how
sincere it is in its professions of re-
pentance prior to it's resurrection.
A platform or a declaration might
have been adopted, lot of dead
wood thrown away, a new policy
formulated, and a disposition shown
to get abreast of the present process
sion. There was an opportunity;
but, also, there were reasons that
prevented a convention
One set of reasons consisted of
the warning ambitions of some men
who want to be leaders, who have
presidential ambitions, who are so
placed they cannot get a chance for
themselves in the new progressive
party and see no other place for the
qualification of their desires except
the reconstruction of the republican
party.
These men are jealous of one an
other. They split-and widely-on
the question. Cummins wants con-
vention; Borah opposes one-and so
on. And fighting side by side with
the men who wanted convention
were Barnes of New York, and Crane
Of Observation-Disclosures wanted moth
ing of the kind, but who were in
structed by their home folk to get
one.
The real reason wasn't that, how
ever. That was a contributory rea-
son. The real reason there will not
be convention next spring, where
by an earnest and sincere attempt
due to just the same kind of men as
of life into the republican party, is
because the men who met in Wash
ington and voted on the proposition
the Republican National Commit
tee-knew if new national conven-
ton should be called new national
committee would be named .by the
convention and a good many of those
present at this meeting would not be
on that new committee. They are
all loyal party men; but loyalty must
not be construed as willingness to
commit political suicide, as they con-
strue it.
That solid gold badge which each
committeeman gets at national con-
vention time and the opportunity to
do little thimble-ringing and to
have a hand in the arrangements
were too dear. They couldn't let go.
Il was case of sublimated selfish
ness. The old gang would not die.
They had the votes and they put it
over once again; and now they are
wait ng for an era of hard times as
their salvation.
There were plenty of clear-sighted
men at that meeting; men who knew
the first requisite for the restoration
of the confidence of the people in the
republican party-or what is left OF
| it's in the elimination of the ma
tional committe as at present consti-
tuted.
There is no particular question OF
policies out in the land. No one cares
much whether the recall of judges,
| for example, is made republican is
| sue or not-Dy no one l mean the
rank and file; but there is a wide
and almost universal demand that
| the men who rugged the convention
! in Chicago in 1912 shall drop out or
shall be thrown out, or get out in
J some way, and a new lot of men put
i'll charge.
I
| The Sack-Suit Dinner
The former voter of the republican
/ ticket has a firm faith that the
troubles that destroyed his party are
| lin a large part-comprise the ma
! tional committee that refused &c
Concluded on Seventh Page)