Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1916-06-15

no show Of fight and gave no evidence
OF resentment.
mo act of National Convention
was ever more gravely performed than
was the nomination Of Justice Hughes.
When it became obvious that he
would receive the full vote OF the con.
vention there was perfunctory ap-
plause in the great auditorium. The
galleries aided alphabetically. but
the delegates could give no show OF
elation or exuberance. One or two
state standards were lifted aloft and
a parade around the convention floor
was started. But it got no farther.
Only three delegations joined in and
when it became evident that the frost
would not thaw they gave it up.
1.-THE announcement Of the final
vote came. 1t would ordinarily have
seemed an appropriate time for
soul stirring demonstration. and par
ticularly so when the nominee turn
ed out to he the almost unanimous
choice of the convention. But the
crowded hall again failed to respond.
There was polite hand-clapping here
and there, but it was far from in
spring.
1.-THE answer, of course, lies in the
fact that the convention has little or
no hope of electing the nominee.
With one-half of the old party still
in revolt and with Roosevelt for the
time being, at any rate. at the head
of the insurging faction. only visions
of defeat, accompanied by four more
years of political hunger, passed be-
fore the eyes of the Republican host,
Roosevelt has not accepted the
Progressive nomination, it is true.
Most Republicans indulge in the hope
that he will not in the end. They
comfort themselves with the feeling
that it will be impossible for him to
find fault with Judge Huges, once
the latter's position on the impor-
trnt issues is known. But these same
Republicans understand the temper
of the Progressivcs. They under
stand that the Bull Moose following
adjourned today with more hostility
in their hearts toward the old party
than toward the Democrats.
"Mr. Roosevelt map be inclined to
sell out the Progressives by finally
declining their nomination. But he
knows and the Republicans know
that he cannot deliver the goods.
Some of the Bull Moose will go blind
ly with the Colonel into Republican
organization just as they went blind
ly out of it four years ago, but that
is not true OF the great body of men
who make up the Progressive party.
More of the men who stood with the
former President in 1912 will 60 to
Wilson than to Hughes.
las for the Republican nominee,
the unprecedented manner in which
he secured his nomination is one OF
the profoundly impressive circum-
stances of the whole affair. He asked
no man for his support. He gave
no man leave to organize campaign
in his behalf. He refused under Or
ganized pressure to state his position
upon any question Of public policy
and did it at time when Issues were
before the American people,
Never before was man placed at
the head of national ticket under
such remarkable circumstances and
against such determined opposition.
And this was accomplished as result
of two things. First, because great
majority of Republicans believed that
he could outpoll any other candidate
whom they might name. Second, be-
cause Huges was the most convenient
personality to pit against Roosevelt.
1T became certain early in the
week that these two influences would
control the action of the Republican
Convention and it was declared in
these dispatches that Hughes would
be the nominee of the Republican
Convention and Roosevelt the nomi-
nee of the Progressives. Only two
questions then seemed unanswered.
The first was whether MIR. Hughes
would accept the nomination OF one
half of his party. He has now given
an affirmative reply to that. The
second question was whetoer Roose-
velt would remain on the Bull Moose
ticket. He has yet to give definite
answer