The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-23

HT7HE nominees of the minor parties
u prohibition and soclallst-are
little heard from in this campaign
Although Allen Benson, presidential
nominee for the socialists, is known
Little Heard From writer and is per
the Minor Parties sonally esteemed
in reform" cir
cles. he has been quoted only once IN
telegraphic dispatches since ne
started on his speaking tour. and what
he said then had no vote-getting ap'
peal. He simply accused the demo
Gratis of slipping joker in the army
bill. authorizing the President to
ssdraft" men into the army IN time
of war, instead of "call them"
Mr.. Benson is not opposed to pre-
paredness, but he makes too much oil
the difference between "call" and
"draft." If volunteers were needed and
the response were slow Congress
would quickly give the chief eNecu-
tive the power to impress men in such
numbers as the exigencies might re-
Quire.
When Benson was selected as the
standard bearer of his party he
boasted that he would double the vote
polled by Debs four years ago, and
that he would carry Oklahoma. He
will do neither.
Nominee Hanly of the prohibition
party has received little more pub
licity than Benson, but he has been
accorded less mention than Chafin
had at the start in 1912; and yet
Hanly is sledge hammer speaker
and an old-time republican leader
ex-governor of Indiana and ex-con-
gresham.
The fact is that when the public
tries to keep up with the nominees
of the two big parties, respectively, it
has about all it wants of national
politics.
There have always been minor
parties-in ante-bellum times there
were more of them than in recent
years-but not many people take them
seriously.
IF President Wilson carries New
= York, and he cannot hope to be
elected without the electoral votes of
that state, he must split the progress
sive vote with Hughes. In 1912 Will
son received
Tammapy's Attitude 655,437 votes,
in Presidential Years Taft 455, 42e
and Roosevelt
390,021. The independent vote usually
determines the result and, as the
west pocket" ballot is expected to
play a large part in November, party
calculations will be all the more diff
cult.
Tammany, the only democratic or
ganization of New York city, yields
great power in municipal politics, but
Judging from the past it is far from
being barometer in presidential cleo
tions.
When Tilden carried New York in
1876 by $50, 900, Tammany was some
what divided, but seeing the demo-
cratic landslide coming the majority
of the "braves," it is supposed, voted
the democratic ticket. In 1880 Tam
many supported Hancock, but Han
cock lost New York. In 1884 the or
ganization fought Cleveland bitterly
but Cleveland carried the state in spite
of the Tigers" opposition. His
plurality over Blaine was only 1047
but nevertheless he was elected.
Four years later when Cleveland rar
for reelection Tammany supported
him solidly, but he lost the state bJ
$4,000 votes. In 1892, a landslide yea
for the democrats, Tammany gave the
ticket only Indifferent support, bu1
Cleveland's plurality in New York was
45,516. Thus it is seen that when Tam
many did its best for Cleveland the
ticket was defeated.
Tammany bears no love for Wilson