The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-12-08
PARTIES STAND
AN EQUAL SHOW
Democrats Have No Formally
Announced Candidates As
Yet For Presidency.
REPUBLICANS HAVE TWO
Uncertainty Still Exists As to
Whether the President Will
Feel Called on to Run.
(By GEORGE II. MANNINe.)

Washington, d. c., Dec. Mot in
many years has the field been so open
and the start so even in both the
Democratic and Republican parties for
presidential candidates as it is right
now. With the nominating convention
but six months off no candidate has
any thing like a commanding lead.
Usually half a dozen avowed can
dtdates of each party are actively in
the field with well-organized publicity
bureaus and boosters in full swing by
this time.
Two Republicans. Senator Miles
Poindexter, of Washington, and Gov
ernor Frank O.. Lowden, of Illinois
have thrown their hats in the ring and
are actually campaigning.
No Democrats have formally an
nounced. The reason for this is that
the Democrats with eyes on the presi-
dency have been deferred from taking
measures in their own behalf because
of the possibility that President Will
SON may be called upon to again be
candidate. The Democratic aspirants
are certain to wait but a short while
longer on President Wilson, however,
before getting their booms under way
None of the men of either party
didates have made any apparent gain
in favor over the others in recent
months and the field is still open
with all having an equal chance for
victory. The lists of prominent men
considered candidates have received
| no additions in some months The
| active and receptive candidates are:
Republicans-GeneraI Leonard Wood,
| J,i,-
Lowden, Illinois; Senator Warren G.
son, California; Senator Miles Poin-
dexter Washington. and Governor
| Coolidge, of Massa achusetts
/ Democrats-William c. McAdoo. of
New York; Attorney General A Mitch
| ell Palmer. Pennsylvania; Governor
| Cox and Senator Pomerene of Ohio;
iVice-President Marshall and Champ
Clark. of Missouri
! Now that the formal call of the
| meeting of the Democratic national
committee in Washington on January
has been sent out, the presidential
| political pot for 1920 is certain to be-
gin boiling furiously. The Republicans
will hold their national committee
| meeting ahead of the Democrats, as
| usual, on December 10.
| The talk in political circles, here
| about convention cities and dates in
dicates Chicago, about the second week
| in June, will again be the choice of
the Republicans, and that the Demo-
Gratis will probably go to ST. Louis
| about July 4. There is some talk of
making a change this year, however,
and some people are urging San Fran
cisco as the meeting place of the Dem
ocratic convention. Kansas City is
also out to get the convention with a
big financial offer.
| The leaders of both parties are much
more concerned about policies this
year than candidates. Usually the
| choosing Of the candidate has been the
| big task and the preparation of the
commonplace platform but a form
ality.
But business, financial and indus
| trial conditions and the views and de-
sires of the people are changing so
rapidly and are SO difficult to deter
mine these days that the great con-
Germ of the party leaders is to fix