The sun., 1919-08-25
Senator Reeds Big Army of
Supporters Wrenched
From Democracy.
BLUNDERs WRECK PARTY
Stones Fine Machine Gone to
Pieces-Spencer's Seat in
y" Senate Menaced.

third party to the polls in 1920 give
thought to Missouri. Just at pres
ent Missouri holds forth vast possi-
bilities for the rebellious Democrats.
At this writing there are more than
10000 voters in this state who are
willing to follow United States Sen
ator Reed wherever and to whomever
Senator Reed elects to support for the
Governorship or the Presidency.
And such are conditions politically
IN this state that not only is Senator
Reed the political dictator of this fac
ton but he will become more power
full every hour and his cohorts in
crease in numbers. A month ago
these voters were Democrats in the
same sense that Senator Reed is
Democrat. Furthermore they are Will
son and League of Nation Democrats
Just to the same extent that Senator
Reed is. And therein can be summed
up the temper OF this small army Of
Reed followers who are just at present
the topheavy balance of power in Mis-
souri, but who may, before another
month elapsess become the only po-
litical faction that the Republicans
OF Missouri need consider in their de-
termination to radically alter the COM
plexion OF Missouri politics in Novem-
Der, 1920.
For some reason that is not to be
explained by rantings of party loyalty
and regularity" the Democratic State
committee perpetrated. hari-kari upon
itself on the afternoon OF August IL.
At the moment 1t looked as though
h. A..A 4
entity in Missouri-the Republican or
gahization. But the decision was too
hasty The outcome of the demoraii-
xation of the erstwhile we'll organized
Democratic party in Missouri, an organ
isation built up by the late United States
Senator Stone and which since his death
has gone enemic and is now palsied.
left just two political organizations in
the field and one -leaderiess, puzzled
faction.
Three Organizations Defined.
Before going any further it is neces-
sary to define these organizations:
l. a Republican party that needs but
q leader of national size to steady II /;
q man in whom a normal Republican
vote of $4,000 has utter confidence
A Reed party that on no other
issue than Reed himself musters more
than 100000 votes and is gaining moral
and numerical strength in astonishing
strides.
:. 8. A demoraiized and widely scattered
residue electorate that cannot be. constd-
cred more than some thousands of indi-
vidral Democrats who are being herded
this way and that to the general ben
eft of the Reed and the Republican
parties.
Even roughly it is difficult to count
this latter element Going back to Mr..
Wilson's election of 1916 the figures
show that he received $4,000 votes to
$4,000 for Mr.. Hughes This is cited
merely by way of a working premise.
These figures no more indicate the di-
vision OF votes on the same issues were
an election to be held in Missouri to-
day than the political geography of Erl-
rope is like unto that of 1914. But in
asmuch as Missouri does not go to the
polls until November 1920, Presiden-
tial year. II seems fairer to take the
latest Presidential vote than to cite the
Istest Gubernatorial vote, which. after
ali. differed merely by 10000.
Incidentally it is just as unfair to set
the Reed party vote at 10000. mas
much as 1t has never been tested. The
personal following are the result of aver.
aging the guesses of six or eight polit-
ical leaders. 1t Is the only way of re-
ducing an amorphic situation to a basis
where argument can be had.
Therefore II may be assumed that
there are to-day in the third subdivision
of Missouris perplexed electorate about
100000 individual Democrats who are
wondering what Is going to happen to
them: who Is going to lead them after
reorganizing them and whittier they ar,
going to be led. Senate Reed has the
other Democrats in his pocket ready
to turn them loose upon President VIII.
son and his policies and they are roaring
TO go.
stones Machine Strong.
The late Senator Stone had a fol.
lowing that totalled anywhere betweer
5000 and 100000. 1t was a Demo.
cratic machine splendidly assembled and
well oiled But it was Stone organ.
izatioD That 1t was not a party or.
ganization in the strongest sense of the
word was demonstrated at the election
two years ago to choose a successr IL
Stone. 1t was but to observe the rule,
of political precedent to opine that Scna
tor Reed would assume the wheel wher
Senator Stone died But Senator Reed
never a regular In the strict party sens
but a powerful factor always stood by
and saw the Republicans sweep Solder
Palmer Spencer into the United State,
Senate. Mr.. Spencer defeated forme,
Governor Joseph w. Folk so easily tina
even then the dlsintegration of tn,
1eaderless Democratic party was ac
cepted as a foregone conclusion.
When President Wilson nominated
himself to enter the Peace Conferenc,
lists against the European diplomatists
Senator Reed began setting himself 70
his present attitude OF Democratic re
bellion against demagogue rule. Their
developed or rather unmasked Itself II
missouri two very potent anti-Wilso
factions that were not only powerful
numerically by those who Representa-,
a dangerously large percentage OF tn
States commercial wealth. They com
prised the Irish-American societies o
western Missouri and the German
American element of the eastern section
of the State. This latter element alb
solved itself from any imputation of pro
Germanism by its human and financial
contributions to the American Expe
dictionary Forces
To digress for a moment, It is neces
sary to state here that nothing ] ma
write can adequately impart the bitter
ness OF the anti-Wison feeling that
found in these two elements. So acri
monious has II become that in man
cases the outsider is compelled to tn
impression that certainly there must b
more than mere political prejudice be
Find II, 1t has all the SAVIOR of persona
hatred.
The anti-Wilson feeling among thes
two elements did not crystalline until MI
Wilson returned from Paris. To-da