Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-06-15
I'VE POINT WITH PRIDE"
NEW ROLE FOR PARTY
Democracy Emerging From National
Convention Well Disciplined Politi-
cal Machine-Rsai Organization on
Business Principles Being Built Up
Bidding For Votes Of Presrsssivss.
[By Judson c. Welliver.J

Its rather putting the reverse
English on the traditions and habits
of the two parties. The republicans
have spent most Of the last half GEN.
fury pointing with pride; the demo-
Gratis have been similarly persistent in
noting with alarm. So it falls out that
democracy Is a bit awed at the notion
OF patting the country on the back 1t
Is more familiar with the mechanism
Of the IRE alarm box than with the
safety first appliances
Still, both crowds do their new
tricks rather well. The republicans
wrought themselves into q very real
state OF mind over the menaces 20
the national welfare. and the demo-
Gratis are hypnotizing themselves Into
the firm conviction that they have
done a great piece Of business.
OF, course, there ia divergence OF
opinion as to just what it is we point
to with pride. The Underwood tariff
measure has never inspired
prodigious enthusiasm even in the
devoutest democratic low tariff breast.
It's too high for the free traders, and
too low for the moderates who don't
quite like to believe that the first aim
Of democracy must necessarily be to
smash things. A few years of power
and responsibility have done much to
convince even democrats of the
Organic order that business has its
advantages; some Of it may even ap-
proximate so closely to respectabilIty
as to deserve the right to survive.
Party 10 Disciplined.
There is one thing that the most
cursory observer will not fail to note
around these democratic diggings.
getting organized and disciplined into
something like a real political ma
chine. A few years ago discipline and
management were az scarce around a
democratic convention as spring wa
ter beverage purposes at August
Busch's entertainment for the news
paper correspondents. Some party.
that, by the way. The old-style
democracy that wandered in (. the
wilderness for a generation after the
war between the states was at least
democratic; 1t was game of every
man for himself. and the loudest voice
could command the largest hearing.
But things have changed. Some real
organizations are being built up in
states that formerly had no more re-
lation to the national party than the
rings of Saturn have to the plain gold
band that the bride dons at June
wedding. There is coming to be-
measure OF interactlon between state
and national forces; an understand
in gthat neither can go it alone; q
realization that they must stand to-
gether in something like common
purpose and program The old
democracy was composed OF an air..
tight Tammany at one end. the symbol
Of perfected political mechanism:
chain OF southern state organizations
secure in the domination OF local az
fairs and hopelessly provincial AS to
national and international concerns:
and then. appended to this. fringe OF
amateurish organizations in states
where the overwhelming majorities In
favor of the republicans compelled the
democracy to accept the leadership OF
such Zealots and enthusiasts as were
willing to carry the thankless burden
of hopeless contests. So there would
be a greenback democracy in the west,
free-silver democracy in the silver
states, and a hard money leadership
in the Cleveland east. with no real
cohesion among them. Prohibition
swept thru the south, while the north
ern democracy was still trying to be-
lieve itself the exponent Of liberalism.
Machine More Efficient.
The republicans will need to recog-
nice, before they are done with this
years fight, that the reorganiEed-or,
better, the organized - democratic
party 10 q more efficient affair politi-
cally. than it used to be. This con-
vention is 50 thankful to Woodrow
Wilson for being q democratic presi-
dent that II is prepared to let him
do what he will with his party. 1t
will adopt any platform. cheer any
program, rejoice in any policy. that
he tells It ne fancies. There Is an
obvious putting aside Of the happy
go-lucky methods Of the past, and a
real effort to unite in something like
q general scheme OF party solidarity.
| All this relates much more to politi-
cal methods than to general principles
of government. AS to these latter, the
democracy is no more united than
ever Mr.. Wilson's currency law
| would be Just about as popular as
i smallpox with the great majority oil
| delegates in this convention, and with
their constituents ut home, il it hadn't
happened to be . nominaliy democratic
| statute. Mr. Bryan, bursting out from
an administration Of which he had
sees. ;-,Ii;Irs figure and grabbing 6
club with which to, belabor his late
associations, il tho fine type of the
old style individualistic democrat. And
| just as Mr. Bryan il now feared for a
mere trouble maker. 80 the old-time
democratic methods are escheWed by
more business! .nege-: .'he ere
crowding themselves Gin to run the
party. / talked today to millionaire
manufacturer VINO il national com
lmitteeman from an important western
state. Eight \yeArs ago, the national
committeeman from that same state
was an ex-populist editor who
iharangued me about the crime Of 'I3
1 s.s!.e:. ?-:"ssT!e: A1S1tsa.
i Among men of this new quality
4 who are coming to the top in the
marty rolncils there has been a great
deal OF quiet conference about how to
r..s the aes.sa!ss:: ti.ts year: and any