Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-10
DECLARES THE PARTY
IS UNDER DOMINATE
Of SPECIAL INTERESTS
"OId Guard" Is Seeking to Re-
gain Control of Government
for the Benefit of Wealth and
Privilege
(By Associated Press

gressive voters should cast Democratic
ballots in November. He spoke to a
large delegation of Progressives, men,
bers of the Woodrow Wilson Indepen-
dence league, and the college mems
league who came here from New York.
Introducing the president, Prof. Irving
Fisher, of Yale, called forth applause
by praising him for keeping the Uni
ted States out of war and upholding the
honor Of the nation He called the
president "a fighter" and severely cri-
ticised Colonel Roosevelt.
AS representative for the Progress
sives present, Hugh Gordon Miller, of
New York, declared the party had been
''scuttled" but that it's heart" was with
the president.
We want a leader who talks less, but
does more" he declared.
| President Wilson declared in his
speech that every policy of the govern
ment for the last three years had been
questioned, but that no new line of
policy had been suggested. He CRITICS.
ed the Republican party as made UP of
everybody disconnected with present
conditions"
"It hopes only for a return to secret
power" he said.
One branch of the Republican party in
New York supported a man for the sem
ate who was openly unneutral the presi-
dent asserted. If one branch of the
Republican party controls, he said, there
would be war for the United States, and
If It does not control, there would be
war for that party.
/ The president charged that the "old
guard" of the Republican party con-
trolled its last convention and was re-
sponsible for everything done by IT, in
GLIDING the framing of its platform. He
spoke of the probably war-like, GER
nf ha h
licans.
President Wilson's speech was in part
as follows:
I'VE are indeed at critical juncture
in the affairs of the world and the af-
fairs of the world touch America very
nearly. She does not stand apart Her
| people are made up out of the peoples
Of the world. Her sympathies are as
| broad as the extended stocks of nation
al governments. There is nothing hui
man that does not concern her. And
| in the midst OF this situation we are
1 about to determine whether we shall
! change the line 70 our national policy.
Every line Of that national policy has
been questioned, but no diagrams have
been drawn of any other; every one of
the lines handsomely projected in the
last three and a half years has been
! questioned and condemned.
Fortunately the lines of this cam
u paign have recently been becoming very
clear indeed. The choice is very, def
mite one which does not require any
subtle analysis for it's determination.
4 On the one hand there is partyewhich
i is united, made up of congenial ele-
ments and which has determined It's
| direction by it's performances and not
by it's promises. You know what the
| Democratic party has accomplished.
| You know that it neither can turn back
| nor desires to turn back. You know
! that il is united as never united before,
and you know that there is no conflict
II of counsel within its ranks. You have
a compact and, therefore, irresistible
force to accomplish something in partic-
ular.
Some very Interesting things have
happened in the Democratic party in
i the last three years and half. When
/ [ went to Washington, 1 went with GER
| tain men in my mind who had long
| been influential in the counsels of con-
| gress who l was told were reactionaries,
1 men 1 mean in the Democratic ranks.
i And 1 want to say for these men that
/ no wheel horse In harness ever pulled
| harder than they did in the direction
| of the party's program of progress. So
/ that I can testify that back of me as
| leader of the party there is an or
ganized, enthusiastic and determined
team that is ready to do teamwork and
| obey every signal.
son the other hand, what have WEI
| Tt battles description. Men Of every
sort and variety of purpose. win not
/ say united, but associated, for an I'M
| avowed object. More interesting than
| that ana more ominous than that, shot
| through with every form OF bitterness,
every ugly form OF hate, every debased
! purpose Of revenge and every covert de-
/ sire to recover secret power, party
made MP like the occupants Of the anc-
lent cave of Adullum, Of everybody dis
contented and insurgent against exist
ing circumstances and, therefore, not
very happily In conference with one an
other.
what would happen If the Republi-
lean party should succeed on the seventh
of November? If were a leader Of
that party I would be afraid to get elect
ed. I would know that nothing but fu-
tility and disappointment awaited me.
Because, oddly enough the only dis
tinct definitions of purpose come from
the collateral branches Of the family.
The only articulate voice, very ar
ticulate- voice, processes opinions and
purposes at which the rest in private
shiver and demur.
i when the whole country is clamor-
/ ing for definition It is legitimate to take
itions are backed by certain things that
have already happened in our politics.
One branch of that party, the collater-
lal branch to which 1 have just referred,
backed as a candidate for the United
States senate in the state Of New York
a man whose avowed position in respect
of international affairs was unneutral
and whose intention was, if he became
member of that great council upon
international affairs at washington, to
l promote the interests of one side in the
present war in Europe.
/ Therefore, we are warranted in be-
i lieving that if the Republican party
should succeed, one very large branch
of il would insist upon what its leader
has insisted upon-a complete reversal
of policy-and in view of the support
the candidate 1 have referred to in New
York received that reversal of policy
can only be a reversal from peace to
war. If they do not engage in such a
reversal OF policy they may expect war
lin their own ranks Those voluble and
lvociferous insurgent forces which have
so long rendered the life of Republi-
cans almost impossible would certainly