The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-06-21
PRESIDENT NOT
LIKELY To AGAIN
Be CANDIDATE.
Democrats Begin to Arrive at
San Francisco
TWO FACTIONS STRIVING
Conservatives Want McAdoo or Cox
While the Liberals Prefer Davis
or Marshall.

san lduCloCOs June Gu.- lnerG
are two distinct lines of thought and
possible courses Of action developing
in Democratic quarters here on the
eve Of the national convention. One
of these is sponsored by strong
group who profess to see an oppor.
tunity for the party to become the
great Liberal party of the country
and who advocate a two-fisted plat
form and nominee who would be
something more than politician. :"
The other movement is an "old
guard" movement, sponsored by the
old party chieftains and having as its
objective a platform that will not be
very liberal and a nominee who will
in no way jeopardize leading issues,
the safety of the party.
Whether justified or not, II happens
that the first of these two movements
advocated the nomination of William
Giggs McAdoo or John w. Davis. The
second Of the individual lines Of
thought happens to be behind Gov.
Cox Of Ohia, Senator owen of Okla.
homa or Atty-Gen. Palmer
Neither the latest expression of
President Wilson, through the medi-
um OF an interview, nor the an
Inouncement of McAdoo that he would
not permit his name to go before the
convention, has materially changed
the situation There has been little
heed paid by the party leaders to
Irumors that the President sought q
third term. In the first place II has
been repeatedly stated that his physi-
cal condition would not permit of
continuing him in the White House
after this term, And in the second
place, any attempt to nominate him
for third term would cause a ire.
mendous upheaval in the party itself.
Wilson as possible nominee has
been eliminated by the leaders.
Aud so for McAdoo, there has been
a very considerable element OF the
lparty leadership for months that had
ldecreed MoAdoo must not be nomin.
lates This element has been actively
sponsored by Charles Murphy, the
lTammany leader; William f. Nc,
Combs. the Wilson campaign manager
in 1912, and others. II had been open
| ly declared by this element that they
icontrolled the situation in Kentucky
Indiana, Missouri Illinois, New York
and New Jersey And it had been
recognized that if McAdoo we're TO be
nominated, it would occur only
through the medium of tremendous
popular expression in the delegations
at San Francisco.
This is a year in which the prac
tical politicians are rather certainly
in control of the reins, which gives
Cox a clear advantage in the precon
vention ratings. Palmer's unpopular
| ity particularly with the leading
Democratic newspapers, and Senator
Owens geographical misfortune Che;
from oklahoma would seem to elm
mate them at this writing OF course
the candidacy of Gov Edwards o.
New Jersey has never had serious
Iaspect He probably will line his
forces up behind Cox.
,MoAdoo has had the so-caliet
Democratic "old Guard" against hin
from the start. So, it would seen
THAT the nomination for head of the
ticket lies now between John w
Davis of West Virginia, backed by tht
one element in the party and Gov. CO.
of Ohio, right now seems to be tbs
choice Of the organization leaders, who
would like to see Atty Gen. Palmer
nominated for practical reasons bu
who do not believe Palmer could bt
elected
If Davis, who is now United States
Ambassador to the Court Of st. James
and was, before that, solicitor gen
eral in the Government, happens t
be nominated. 1t will mean tina
there will be no real effort made t
inject strong constructive liberalism
into the Democratic party and give /
an appeal that will meet growing de
mands in many quarters for depar
ture. In other words Davis represent
the theories of the Democratic part,
while Cox has the backing of the pract
ical politicians.