Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-05-18
4 Third Party


L AR-SEEING political leaders profess to
see in the present situation not merely
possibility. but Il probability OF third
ticket in the coming presidential campaign
around which will center all the extreme
radical elements in the country. Such cal
culations necessarily connect the name Of
Senator Hiram Johnson with this move
ment. If there is to be a middle-of-the-
road program. it will be engineered by the
Californian. No other candidate, not even
Herbert Hoover, ii may he assumed, dreams
OF such plan of action.
Those who are convinced of the third
ticket movement first foresee the defeat
of Senator johnson at the Chicago con-
vention. They do not believe for minute
that the Republican party, in convention
assembled, will surrender TO the policies
and personality of this Western cyclone.
He stands for too many things which the
party as whole is against. and Is against
too many things which the party is for.
Moreover, he is literally an independent,
and ii elected President he would make
more trouble for the Old Guard than would
n Democrat.
II it be taken for granted. therefore, that
Senator Johnson cannot win straight
party nomination, that there will be a sue
cessful combination of forces against him,
and he will be cast into the discard as was
his preceptor. Theodore Roosevelt, then
there is good ground for the conviction that
lie will head third-party movement.
Up to this time Johnson is tho only Re
publican candidate for the presdency--or
the only candidate in either party, for that
matter-fOr whom there is any genuine ell
thusiasm. He is the only candidate who
has attracted any decisive popular support.
He. OF course, knows this as certainly as
ali 10 hoe
lied that he is the accepted champion of
certain wel-deilned elements Of the Amer
lean people, elements which doubtless
would follow him out Of the Republican
party as readily as they have followed him
as party man.
II may be reasonably easy matter to
persuade such man as Johnson to be-
liere, first, that he has been unfairly de-
fcated for the nomination, and next. that
If he should run on third ticket he might
possibly be elected Johnson is a man with
ar excessively developed ego. as was Roose-
welt. and as is President Wilson himself.
Such men are inclined to eXnggerate their
power over the people, and Senator John
son no doubt feels even now that he was
preordained to be the leader Of the great
forces which have rallied TO his candidacy
If history serves as a guide, Senator John
son need not hope. however. for election
nead OF third ticket. Third parties have
never become dominant in their first cam
paigns in this country Most OF them faded
away after a few years This was true Of
the Populist party, the Progressive party,
the Farmers Alliance, the KnoW-Nothing
party, and most others. The Republican
party did not become Il national factor until
the dissolution Of the Wings. 1t entered
the major league class after it's second cam
paign Senator Johnson is aware of all
this, but he may figure that II he runs on
a third ticket, he can succeed in defeating
the rcactionism of the Republican party
then force himself upon the old organiza-
ton in 1924 at price which he himself
will fix IL may prove to be very costly
thing to deny Hiram Johnson the Repub-
lican nomination.