The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-09-25
REPUBLICAN DEFEAT NEXT
YEAR STARTED WITH VIC
TORY IN 1918.

sentence in review of parties, par
| tjsaps, policies and politician" -as
the New York World titled it
drawn in an interview from Homer
S. Cummings, chairman OF the
Democratic National Committee, by
Edward S. Van lille Of the Wheeler
"The difficulty with the Republi-
can party" Mr.. Cummings told Mr..
Van lille, interpreting his prophecy,
"is that it offers no hope for the
future. It has developed no leader
ship capable. of meeting and solving
modern problems. 1t lives in the
past: 1t seeks to restore pre-war
back where it was decade ago. AS
some of it's leaders have phrased It.,
they want to get back to the good
old days Of Mark Hanna! The
Republican party complains and
moves backward. We are just now
passing through an interlude of Re-
publican incapacity which the
peat"
ges Resyi9 o Mr. M cu nan ze hat
get at the whole matter by making
a balance sheet fol-; both parties"
You might begg I st.t the inter- At
GENERAL way the Zee ehief assets ana ID
relation to the Presidential contest
Oh =" NV, good idea," remarked the
chairman smilingly. "But the
Democratic assets for the contest of
1920 are almost too numerous to be
catalogued. In general way, how
ever we are entitled to claim credit
Go irc+ Ln ctr11 nfi n
remedial measures placed upon the
statue books between March 4, 1913,
when President Wilson took the
oath of office, and the time when the
war broke out. refer to the in
come tax, the establishment of the
Federal Trade Commission, the
creation of a non-partisan Tariff
tariff system, the passage of the
child labor legislation. the passage
of the Smith-Lever BILL. the extern
sion of new consideration to labor
as expressed in numerous public acts.
and the sterilization of industry and
finance by the creation of the
Federal ftsr Rese refe sXStem nase as Mr.
Van Zile put it, the chairman went
on:
Second, by the passage of eff
fective war measures, like war risk
insurance, the establishment of the
Alien Property Custodian Office, the
creation of War Finance Corpor-
alton, the passage of the selective
draft law. the successful MOBILIZE
alton of industry: the creation of the
other allied organizations, the
creation of great army and great
navy, the successful transportation
of millions of men abroad and the
general leadership which co-ordi-
mated the material and economic
and indeed. the spiritual forces of
the nation in such a way that the
remarkably small loss Of American
life. In this connection all the meas
health Of the army should not be
overlooked. Nor should we forget
the building of great merchant
marine.
"Third the the leadership of the
President which has made him the
chief world figure.
"The liabilities, if you wish me to
use that term, consist chiefly. OF the
public officials during a period of
great strain, when the nation was
engaged in the greatest enterprise
upon which any nation ever emark-
ed. From a party standpoint, these
liabilities are negligible"
Mr.. Cummings then opened his
creeping barrage against the Repub-
lican intrenchments as follows:
"The Republicans have the advan-
and Of a large opportunity for politi-
cal propaganda. Three out Of every
! four of the great dailies of America
are friendly to the Republican party
and two out OF every three of the
weeklies are friendly to the Republi-
can party. This is a great handicap
to the Democratic party and CORE
sponding advantage to the Republl-
can party.
"The. Republican party also has
the advantage which grows out of
the regulations that were put IN
force during the period Of the war
and which irritated great many
people. The Republican leaders re-
cognized this fact and have de-
liberately sought to exaggerate the
Of hsxs msde eo 9r r
a abie prog aess in this direction: In
! addition to this, they have deliberate.
" sought to mobilize the forces OF
discomfort. They are playing up
to group interests and racial animOs-
tiles. This part of their program Is
entirely inexcusaDle. ~ Is un-Amerl-
can and fraught with danger to our
country. This asset, II It may be
termed such, may ultimately dig
close itself as an overwhelming la
bility."
"The Republican liabilities are
manifest. They lack elective leader
ship and are unable to agree upon
any program, except perhaps one OF
general opposition to the President.
They won the Congressional LEI election tbon
would engage. promptly, and with
superior ability, upon the tasks Of
war and reconstruction; They b, be
buster, during the last days Of the
retiring Congress, q series Of i'm
portant pieces Of legislation and sue
pered the necessary development OF
the railroads. they Destroyed bii as
which were designed % take care o.
|; the passage Of the water power bill.
\ fhe leasng bill IT, AoneseeeA aes