Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1920-03-03
f ESsninS Yes sssas 1875
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LAW is REASON.
The Democratic Nomination.

lHc DCHiOtIoaS A>otuAhotsVhs
Some interest was impaired to the
Democratic national campaign by the
formal announcement, yesterday, of At
torney-General A. Mitchell Palmer that
he was an aspirant TO the Democratic
nomination for President. In letter to
the secretary of the Georgia Democratic
State Committee he accepted the kind
Offices of friends in that State who had
entered his name as a candidate for
Presidential choice at the primaries to
be held on April 20. and added: II deem
it highly important that the Democrats
of Georgia should have the opportunity
to directly pass upon the record made by
the present administration. The candi-
dacy of one who supports that record In
every phase presents that opportunity"
Mr.. Palmer has thus very shrewdly
advanced the suggestion that be at least
may be accepted as what would be classed
as ian administration candidate" but
while his position as a member of Presi-
dent Wilson's cabinet Of itself would give
him strong claim to that distinction, il
would not operate TO give him monopoly.
Other aspirants may advance their thor
ough Endorsement of the entire record of
the Wilson administration as substantial
claims TO the support of their fellow
Democrats.
The most interesting element attach
ing to Acknowledgement Palmer as an
aspirant for Presidential honors is that he
halls from Pennsylvania. Although one
of the most important States OF the Union,
PENNSYLVANIA has figured rather lncon-
spicuouslv in national affairs, especially
in connection with the Office of President
of the United States. Pennsylvania has
furnished only one President-James
Buchanan, Democrat, elected IN 1856
and aside from few side issue ''also rams,
but one other candidate for the high Of
fice-General Winfield Scott Hancock,
Democrat, who was nominated IN 1880
and went down to defeat before President
Garfield Nor has Pennsylvania figured
prominently in the national conventions
of the Republican party, despite her heavy
Republican ma jorities of the past quarter
of a century. This year, Pennsylvania
Republicans are making pretext OF pre-
senting Governor Sproul as a candidate
for the Republican nomination. but every
body knows he will be but stalking
horse to hold the State delegation to-
gether until Penrose and others of the
''Old Guard select a candidate to their
liking. to whom the solid vote Of Pennsvl-
vania will be thrown
Pennsylvania overwhelming Republi-
cani.m. of itself, would be serious handi-
cap to the candidacy of Acknowledgement
Palmer. and he is further handicapped by
the intense and bitter opposition now
being engineered by large faction of the
Democratic party of the State. or what
remains of that once powerful organize
ton. For wears the Democratic party Of
PENNSYLVANIA has been the sport and
the miserable pawn, of selfish
leaders, until it has degenerated into
quantity in the voting, p I'll
able minority fractional fights have dis
gusted It's followers and fairly driven them
out of the party, and factional treachery
has operated at times to defeat all pros
pect of party victory, even IN campaigns,
when the Republican party was openly |
divided.
Whether justly or not it is impossible |
to say. Attorney General Palmer is blamed |
for large part of the decrepitude and |
nefficiency that now incapacitates the
Democratic party organization in Penn
sylyania, and an organized campaign is
under way to prevent him securing the |
united support OF the States delegation to
the Democratic National Convention. /
Whether this movement succeeds or not,
{ win materially weaken MIR. Planners
elsewhere, and should his
State go against him he would be COM
lelled TO retire from the field. Grover
Cleveland was the only man who could
secure the Presidential nomination from
lis party In the face Of the united and
bitter opposition of the delegation from
lis own State. This he did in 1892. and
vas elected. carrying New York by "a
SUBSTANTIAL majority at the election.
However, there will be no lack of
spirants at the Democratic National
Convention. The field will be large, and
Ia soIae respects inviting. But it may be