Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-17
The Old Guard Complacent

THE course OF the Republican campaign
TO date seems to be very much to the
taste Of the leadership in the Republican
party which has dominated that organiza-
tion since Theodore Roosevelt lost 1t In the
election OF William H. Taft. That leader
ship has never been reconciled to the nomi-
nation this year of man beyond its in
fluence and control. 1t has been as deter
mined now, as before, to name the next
nominee and to write tho platform upon
which he is to make his appeal to the
country.
In the maneuvering and jockeying of the
past few weeks it has become evident TO
all hands that this domination more than
once was threatened. Candidates have ap-
peared in the arena who. owing nothing to
the Old Guard. inaugurated their campaigns
without regard for the attitude or the poll
cies OF the veteran leaders. A change has
come over the face Of the situation, how
ever. change that has brought a very
large measure OF satisfaction to the stand
pat element in the party.
In the first place, General Leonard Wood
went forth with grand smash 10 capture
the nomination as Roosevelt legatee and
candidate who was hostile to the Old
Guard leadership. For a time it appeared
as If he had initiated an incipient stampede.
State after State took him up, and although
themselves. they seemed to indicate a pro-
nounced trend of Republican sentiment. 1t
may we'll be assumed that this demonstra-
ton of strength gave the conservatives 4
decided sense OF alarm.
The Wood rush toward the goal was
rather suddenly checked. One Hiram John
son, of California, another radical, burst
upon the scene. challenging the Wood right
to the progressive vote, and at the same
tp,n 10, IL lx;t
tary candidates extravagant<usc OF money.
He charged outright that the general was
trying to buy the Republican nomination
and so effective was his first direct often
sive against the militarist that he ran away
with the Michigan vote.
1t was scarcely safe, however, to allow
Johnson to get too far ahead in the race
even at the expense of Wood He might
try TO organize little stampede of his
own. But before the Old Guard could de-
wise means OF dealing with possible John
son menace fortuitous circumstance de-
veloped Herbert Hoover, who had been
OH the fence for weeks, suddenly declared
himself to be both Republican and can
ddate for the nomination, and went out
with an organization and a campaign fund
OF his own TO put Johnson out of business.
This he hopes TO do by bringing about the
reputation of the Senator in the Califor-
MIA primary.
In other words. the three most dangerous
and most radical Of the Republican candi-
dates are engaged in bitter thrce-cornered
fight to kill each other off. The Old Guard
needs only stand by as an interested spec
,ator to this political battle royal. When
the three gentlemen now at each others
Threats succeed in deadlocking the Chicago
convention. as now seems imminent The
Old Guard will step in with its own can
didate. with n definite determination to put
him over 1t is no wonder, therefore, that
the old line leaders are quite content with
the course the pre-convention campaign is
taking.