Evening star., 1920-01-18
DEMOCRATS CHAFZNG
AT DELAY LINEUP
FOR NATIONAL RACE
Conditions in NeW York, Connecticut
and NeW Jersey Sh0W Activity Is
Largely Among Republicans.

from the empire state will be Elih.
Root, Senators Calder and Wads-
worth, and either William Boyce
Thompson or Nicholas Murray Butler.
Any neutral observer of politics in
this zone could not fail to note the
existence of a spirit Of pessimism
among democrats over the democratic
outlook for next November and the
corresponding elation of the repuS-
licans SINE republicans, indeed, are
warning their fellows of the danger
of overconfidence in this situation,
pointing out to them that there is yet
plenty of time for the republicans
to make blunder and for the demo-
Gratis to accomplish coup. The pos
sibilities of republican misstep at
Washington are not lost sight OF 10y
any means.
Republican leaders say they are
quite alive to the fact that the oppo-
sition party has as it's leader man IA
who. in their opinion, is one OF the
most astute politicians this country
has ever produced. They are not pre-
pared to assent to the suggestion
sometimes heard that President Will
son sis through" because of his Ill
ness, but, on the contrary, fear that
he is watching the political game
with all his old acumen.
BY the same token many democrats
are counting upon him to pull on
something which will lift up their
dropping spirits.
Hostility to Administration.
OF course, there is another element
of democrats who are of the opinion
that the less the national administra-
tion figures in the domination OF the
party for the near future, the better
will party prospects look for Novem-
ber These democrats reflect the cur
rent hostility to the administration
quite in evidence in New York
subordinated to financial and business
considerations and assessed only as
motive power in cause and erect
of prosperity or depression, the i'm
preston is held by some that as soon
as the political situation clears next
Sao1icies, prices Of securities will ad-
vance. given the prospects Of the
election of a conservative candidate
on a sound platform. whether ne pc
a democrat or a republican; Under
present conditions and indications
more likely to be sponsors OF con-
servatism in both candidate and plat
form.
They look to see William ]. Bryan
exert a tremendous influence in the
national convention, though not pre-
pared to believe tnat ne Will doSo-
lutely control it. Leaving him out OF
consideration, their judgment Is that
the democratic platform Is likely TO
run to radicalism and then their next
look ahead will be to forecast whether
the country is ripe for it or not.
Foreign situation.
h II fIftfaxs sxhsss III n not only po1ttd.
cal uncertainty which is affecting
prices Of securities. Men who are ly-
ing awake nights and worrying dur
ing the day, trying to find a cause
for the growing depression, tell the
writer that 1t may be attributed also
to the foreign exchange situation; to
the reports Of impending trouble in
central Europe and the near east, and
of course to high money rates here.
If European conditions clear up, It
is believed there may be a better
ment of affairs here in late February
or March. If not, the country will.
1t is said by these men. look forward
to political conditions here to set q
pace Of Improvement.
One Of these men recalled to the
writer the scene in Chicago in 1896.
when the committee on resolutions
wrote the free silver plank; how
everybody hurried to sell securities,
and when late that summer and early
fall it became likely that radica1ism
would be beaten, prices started up
ward on a boom that lasted for two
wears. It is possible, they say, many
Of the conditions of 1896 will be re-
peated in 1920.