The Holly chieftain., 1920-07-22
"REPUBLIcANs CONTROLLED"
DEMOCRATS EVEN WORSE"
Progressiveism Lacking In Conven-
tions of Both Parties, Says Auto
Magnate, and Asks will the
People Stand For It?"

Disappointed by the utter alb
sence of public spirit and respon-
sibility in the national conventions
of the Republican and Democratic
parties. the independent American
people have succumbed to a sense
of deep disgust for partisan politics
in general This is most whole
some reaction and it would promise
well for the nation. were there not
larger of a further reaction toward
apathy.
The politicians count more conf
IDENTIFY than the people realize on
that interval of time-which stretches
between the summer conventions
and the November election. If the
election were to be held today, and
if the law required half the number
of votes to be cast as were east, at
the last Presidential election before
candidate could be chosen, there.
would not be enough votes cast to,
day to elect either of the candidates
to the office for which the parties
have chosen them.
The Republican Convention was
openly and shamelessly dominated
by the financial representatives of
the powers that pull governmental
influence like strings. The party's
own methods were clOgged and
soiled with shameless money scam
dals. Progressivisln and clean re-
publicanism were snubbed, insulted
and crushed at every turn. The
delegates were euchered, Wearied,
driven and deceived. And the candi-
date who emerged from this chaos
was even more cOlOrless than the
Republican Platform, If anything
more cOlorless can be conceived.
The Democratic Convention was,
if anything, degree worse, because
there was an attempt made at San
Francisco which had no parallel at
Chicago-the convention was at
least given q flaming opportunity
to declare it's adherence to the NOR
al advance made by the American
people with regard to the liquor
traffic. But the hand of the de-
funct and disgraceful whisky bust
ness was heavy upon the men who
controlled that convention. Paid
agents, who were both public and
private retainers, were in evidence
everywhere. There was no question,
not even the League of Nations,
which received tina slavish atten-
tion which booze received. The
whole convention resembled more
"hang over" from the saloon re
gime than q gathering of Ameri-
can citizens selected to formulate
policies for the solution of the prob
the world And q candidate, as un-
known and as amenable to control
as the Republican candidate, was
put forth for the high office of Pres
ident.
The defeat of McAdoO and the de-
feat of the movement to insert
wet plank in the platform were the
two strong actions of the Democrat
ic Convention, but these were neu-
tralized by the selection of Cox.
The McAdoO candidacy was one of
the most cleverly engineered pieces
of political shrewdress in the party
annals of the United States. That
it was heavily financed is a fore
gone conclusion, but the utmost en-
deavors of skilled Investigators failed
to reveal its source, that is, with
degree of certainty that would JUS
tify public exposure Its source,
however, is generally known, and
the defeat of McAdoo was more
than the defeat of a man; it was the
defeat of group whose exposure
and the destruction of whose pow
er is the most needed reform in the
United States and the world today.
There is now no choice whatever
between Republican and Democrat
ic candidates, between Republican
and Democratic platforms, or, for
that matter, between Republican
and Democratic parties. The peo-
pie have been treated like children;
their highest hopes have been
flouted; their best beliefs have
been buried beneath mountains of
partisan slush and filth.
Tho question is: viii the people
stand it. Have they submitted to
so much bulldozing at the hands
of the politicians and the parties.
that they have lost their sense
of ownership of their own govern
ment?
There is no question whatever
about the widespread public dis
gust: question is. How will 1t