The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1920-08-21
Astute Political Observer Ger.
tain Attorney General Has
Won Commanding Number Of
Democratic Delegates.
PRE-coNvENTIoN ESTIMATES
0sIIsvss Hoover lie a Negligible Factor
. Bseauss II 10 IneonesIvabGs That the
Democracy at San Francisco VIII
Vote for the CASTOR Candidate Of
che RspublIean Convention.

Neutrality-suspicious. are beginning
q talk in the pre-conVention campaign
q the candidates for the presidential
BOmination of both parties, and. while
their first words carry the wabbly lisp
OF the baby tongue, they appeal to the
hearts Of the papa and mamma politi-
clans whose hopes and ambitions are
inseparably linked with the words OF
truth that will drop from the mouth
the prodigy who has never yet bee
kn@wn to lie and whose growth will be
to that Of giants strength by tn
tiln the conventions are called to or
dsA
A pencil and pad of paper in the
AaAda Of an astute political observer
can work wonders Of representation
and especially II that observer is broad
minded and clear-visioned enough to
calculate not what he would Ike to
have happen, but what Is likely to hap
pen WHEN the count Of noses on the
door Of the convention is completed
The head political writer Of the
Philadelphia Evening Ledger. one OF
the publications Of Cyrus II. K Curtis
and hog-tied with its owners grave
yard campaign for Herbert. Hoover,
asked Tor some figures few days ago
from man whom he describes as "a
member Of the Democratic Organiza-
ton who should know as much. about
the prospects as any one does" and he
got them. And, to his credible 1t said,
he published them. This is what he
said:
"He figures after a careful study
that Attorney General Palmer will lead
In the first ballot with $50 votes, Nc.
AdOo wG1l be second with $50 votes and
Hoover third with so votes For pur-
poses OF 1ockeying until some one an.
swers the great question whether the
party can win with either Palmer or
McAdoC rs a candidate the restgof the
votes VIII be scattered around in IA
highly complimentary fashion among
lot Of men who will feel battered to
have their names among the others
VOted for" ..a.s
Mr.. HoOver's recent action in declar-
@g himself to be Republican and
veeeptive candidate for the nomination
at the hands Of the Republican M
Nonal Convention, of course, elIml-
NNtAc him %Novo O0pei5orot;oO - a.
hands Of the Democracy. It is net rea-
sonable to suppose that any Democrat
lc delegates would be willing to vote
for the cast-Off candidate of the Re-
publican Convention. 1t is therefore
probable that Mr. Palmer will get his
share Of the 90 votes which the pollti-
cal expert quoted assigns to Hoover.
The figures given above allot to
Palmer not only more votes than any
other candidate for the Democratic
nomination. but more than can con-
scientiorsly he claimed for any candi-
date on the Republican ticket from the
present outlook Any one OF the sew.
eral Republican candidates who could
figure block of $50 delegates to vote
for him on zee first ballot in the Chi.
cago convention would consider him.
self rich indeed In chances for the
nomination.
Every day that passes brings new
bitterness into the Republican pre-
convention campaign and opens new
wounds that will be difficult in the
healing. Breaches are being opened in
state delegations that defy bridging by
the most earnest efforts of accom-
plished leaders, and not delegation
has been selected to the Chicago con-
vention from what might be termed
real fighting ground for the several
candidates which is not torn by bitter
feuds and hopelessly split upon the
candidate to whom 1t shall throw its
support.
Lavish use of money, as charged
against the managers of two of the
candidateS-the leading candidates
for the nomination has developed into
national scandal and has been made
the subject for denunciation by such
leaders OF the progressive wing of the
party as Senators Hiram Johnson. an
avowed candidate on his own behalf,
and Borah, who is supporting the can
didacy of Johnson and is by no means
eliminated as dark horse in the race
should Johnson fail of the nomination.
These men and the great force
which they represent within the party
the true progressives and followers
of Theodore Rcosevelt-who fail to
see in the free expenditure Of money
on behalf of General Leonard Wood
any traits of the residuary legatees of
their dead leader are voicing their
protest over what they charge to be
an attempt TO override the party
through the use of money, and quick
action will follow their protests If
they find that through the use of large
sums of money the action of the Chi
cago convention has been Influenced In
advance. If there Is to be third par
ty in the field it will be born OF the
Republican party in protest against
the pre-convention methods of the can
0idate&