The Washington herald., 1920-05-09
Primaries Fail
ToShou) Trend
OfRepublicans
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the past it is almost certain-that
the frantic hght of the leaders for
delegates will end as did the ia
nous fight at KiIkenny-"-instead OF
two cats there weren't any" This
outcome is made the more possible
by the considerable number Of sec
ondary candidates with a consider
able following Of their own. and
one or two distinctly dark" horses.
Leading in the former class is Her
bert Hoover, who. while refusing to
enter any primaries save those of
California. where he was defeated
though winning an enormous vote,
is very much in the public eye. Gov
ernor Allen. of Kansas, with his
one invincible supporter in the per
son of William Allen White. may
have to be reckoned with, while
Coolidge. Sproul, of Pennsylvania,
despite the declaration OF Penrose
| for Knox. and Nicholas Murray
Butler loom up-though very far in
the ofing.
Is 1t not however, reasonable to
believe that the controlling spirits
/ at Chicago may, In the face of the
cIashing personal ambitions of so
many candidates, take into account
issues as we'll as men?
The Issues to BE Considered.
May they not endeavor to Judge
the temper Of the country as mani
; tested in the course of the primary
elections and endeavor to select q
candidate as much in harmony with
that temper as may be possible?
1t Is reasonable to suppose that
this course will be adopted, and
should it be, its immediate effect
will be to end the ambitions Of
both Harding and Lowden and give
a somewhat satdonic air to Pen
roses suggestion of Knox.
For il the primary elections have
demonstrated anything, it Is that
voters this year are insisting on q
broad and progressive liberalism.
The candidate who is labeled re-
dictionary will be lost. That is why
Harding, who was admittedly the
candidate of the Republican organi-
zation a few months ago. has been
practically dropped, left to shift for
himself, and to win only a Pyrrhic
victory in his own state.
The outstanding figure in the pri-
mary fights has been Hiram John
son. l do not believe that he will
ever he nominated, nor do I believe
I that he should be. But the char
acter OF his campaign and its re-
suits have demonstrated beyond
cavil that the spirit of progressiv-
ism is dominant in the land, and
that to nominate a man not IN ac-
cord with that spirit Is to defy the
popular will.
have said that mere numbers
of instructed delegates was little
likely to profit any candidate In the
coming convention. But those num-
bers are nevertheless Instructive.
We have had seeking votes two rec
ognized conservative candidates and
two self-proclaimed progressives.
No matter though the conservatives
have striven mildly to put on some-
thing of the armor of progress,
while the insistence of each Of the
avowed progressives that he and
he alone has inherited the mantle
nf Roosevelt is not quite convinc-
ing. TIE fact remains that the peo-
ole have voted gladly, enthusiast
'ically for Wood and johnson, and
In a ratio of a good deal more than
hEee to one for their reactinary
opponents. Harding and Lowden.
'ohnson's campaign In particular,
sheer personal effort for the
,reaching OF progressivism. border
nr at times narrowly upon danger
,Us radicalism. has brought out a
>"pular force which the makers Of
be Republican nomination cannot
ford to ignore.
Concessions 10 Progressiyes.
/, But while It is unlikely that the