The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-07-03
WHAT IS THE
FEELING
OF DEMOCRATS
San F rancisco Gathering DOM
mated by Hicks" Blythe
Says-Concentrate on Lo-
cal Tickets.
EXPECTING A LICKING
BY SAMUEL G. BLYTHE,
Copyright, 1920, ny the Contra. Press
Assocfationk

Assocfationb
It will be found when the results of
this convention are known that the
human equation, in one or two of its
interesting phases, largely dictated
and influenced the results this far
from the policies of the conven-
ton, which has been and is both hui
man and inhuman.
The first phase is that the conven-
ton to very large extent is a defeat
lst convention. The sound phase is
that it is a provincial convention. a
convention of small town stuff domi-
mated by small towners.
Two weeks ago when the men who
are held to be the leaders of the Dem
ocrats began TO arrive il was noted
that almost all of them when talkinz
frankly and not for publication. ex.
pressed the opinion that there is small
! chance for Democratic success this
year.
| This is not an occasional opinion,
expressed by a few individuals who
were unfriendly to the administration
or with grievances of their own. but
an almost universal opinion among the
, leaders early settled into a what's
| the use y attitude, and began looking
about and making plans to do what
ever they could for themselves and
for their local and state tickets, and
paid scant attention to the candidacy
for the presidential nomination.
! II was held that inasmuch as some
one must be nominated, some one
would be at the proper time. but there
was neither nourishment nor neces-
sity of bothering with that side of it
for a time.
/ Selfish in Aspirations.
| This explains the eagerness Of some
| of the leaders to secure a wet plank
or wet candidate, and was entirely
selfish and local in most of its mani
festation, the leaders from the big
cities. knowing that local success was
more essential to the continued
! strength and prosperity of their or
| ganizations, and knowing, too. that the
| prevailing sentiment in the large cit
les is wet. devoted their efforts to
making things as moist as possible.
not with the hope Of winning nation
ally. but with the hope of succeeding
we'll enough for talking purposes with
the wet boys back home.
They figured that if they made a
great wet effort they would strengthen
themselves locally and they had no
hope of being able to do anything nat
lOndlIy, nor Qlu lley concern IleHl-
selves much about that, because the
big state boss expects, and gets, little
from a Washington Democratic admin
istration, as has been shown abun-
dantly.
Would Take Bartender.
Some of these men would have NOM
mated a bartender if they could.
On that hypothesis, this defeatist
sentiment was held to be the feeling
of the leaders early on the scene, but
after the delegates began arriving, 1t
} was found that the entire party, as
represented here by delegates and Wis
itors, felt the same way.
In their hearts, these Democrats do
not think they have a chance Of win
ming. This explains the lack of CO
hesiveness on any candidate save Nc
Adoo. and that cohesiveness is based
on the work of federal office holders
largely. and on the intensive cam
paign conducted for McAdoo for
months before his ambibuous with
) drawal.
These McAdoo delegates came here
for McAdoo and found no other place
10 60 Hence it was easy for the
McAdoo federal office managers to
! hold them for McAdoo. 1t was gen.
eral dull care feeling, a whats the
use" attitude. "let George do it" po-
sition underneath everything.
Defeatists.
What happened here or will happen,
is that conviction that the Democrats
cannot win this year and they Will
go home with that feeling. and in that
, , attitude, no matter who is nominated,
and no matter how much they may
: protest enthusiasm and confidence for
| of "a
they have simply been going through
, the necessary motions.
The other phase of the convention
is its provincial phase. 1t costs money
] to come from the east to San Francis.
CO. and except in the cases of big city
examinations, expenses are not paid,
2 and not for delegates in big city Or
i ganizations who can pay their own
: way.
t Conequently the regular politicians
who have been taken to Chicago, or
9 St. Louis, were not taken in many in
l. stances and the Democrats were sub
4 stituted who had money to spend for
d the trip and time to give 1t.
o Therefore we found a convention
< not of ordinary political nature but OF
+ men interested in policies of ambitions
for the honor of being a delegate and
= wearing a badge, middle class bust
1 ness men and others, and we also
: found an entirely new element in the
conventions, namely, small town and
suburban gossip.
These men, not being politicians
: and not understanding what is politi.
y cal in discussing an opponent and
J. what is personal and where the line
4 is usually drawn talked about those
= to whom they were opposed just las
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