Weekly journal-miner., 1919-01-01
M 'ADOO IS STILL AFACTORIN THE
 1920 RACE
Special to the Journal-AIiner.

be taken as eliminating him from the
 list of Presidential possibilities for
 1920 Quite the contrary.
 A close personal and political
 friend of the secretary, who beyond question is in a position to know how
 Mir. McAdoo would wish his resigna- ton to be construed, declares that the
 retirement does not at all affect the possibility of Presidential consider ation.
 "AGr. McAdoo," he said, "has noth- ing to do with that It is a matter for the party. If the party wants him, it can nominate him, and he will be free to accept"
 Explaining the resignation further, he opined that the President is de- ternined not to run in 1920, and that if there ever was chance of his do- ing so. it has been ended by the re- cent election and the outburst of crit icism called forth by the peace nego- tiations, the appeal for votes and the trip to Europe.
 Two Bad Years Ahead.
 "The administration, continued the speaker, "has ahead of it two years of uncomfortable times, with a Republican congress to make all the troubles. possible Certainly there is no reason why the President, with the wonderful record he has made, should take the chances involved in third-term candidacy He will re- tire in 1921 with a record of achieve ment in both domestic and interna- tional affairs that insures his place in history. The two years of bitterness bickerings, and party strife ahead will be most disagreeable, but they will pass and be forgotten, while the enduring fame of the Presidents great work will tower as his monu- ment. Look at Cleveland's last term, and at the place he occupies now in the list of Presidents!
 For Mir. McAdoo to remain in the cabinet meant that he must carry the heaviest part of the burden in this trying time, with no chance to bene- fit by it. He would he part of an ad- nrinstration that is certain to go out under fire. Already his resignation has called forth tributes to his abil- jty, energy, and importance in the ad- ministration. These have strongly emphasized the realization that if the President is not to run again, Me Adoo is the strong man of the party. His geography is right, as a New Yorker. and if the party wants him ii can draft him. He will look better and better, too, as the months pass.
 The speaker was one of the many Democrats who have been amazed at the recent turn of the political tide against their party Without trying to explain it, he seemed to assume that the President had lost his grip on both party and country. Con vinced that it all represented a fear ful injustice to the President, he ac- cepted it, seemingly, as irreparable. l He is rather too dazed, even yet, to attempt an analysis of factors that produced the sudden reverse.
 Wilson's Popularity" Exploded.
 But opinion is settling down to like conclusions about what the election results meant. To the question, "What happened SO to dissipate the Presidents immense popularity" the common est answer is that "It never existed" The explanation is interesting, rum ling somewhat thus:
 The President, first of all, was not the choice of the convention that nominated him in 1912 There had been a nationwide contest for dele gates, as a result of which Champ Clark attained a majority of votes in he convention on several ballots Tn two-thirds rule beat him, and Bryan and other forces nrade the nominate a man who was lot its real choice. It was anything put proof of popularity within the Democratic party.
 Then came the Republican split, nd the election. Wilson seemed cer- ain to win, and therefore might have 'een expected to win heavily, thanks o the band-wagon vote. But in fact, le received fewer votes than Mir Bryan ever received Likewise no triking testimony of popular : trength.
 One-Man Administration.
 Seventeen months after he took of ice the war broke over Europe. It 5as long enough for Mir. Wilson to Iake apparent that his was to be ne-man administration. Toward he war he maintained a policy of