Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-10
By
j. HASkiN

among the democrats and republicans"
said one of these veterans in discuss
ing the new movement, land there are
plenty Of independents who are simply
indictments of another stripe. But you
| couldn't get them together and hold
them together long enough to run a
| campaign and go to the polls. You
| can't make an aggressive disciplined
army out of deserters and slackers."
Impetus In Primaries
Without doubt the third party move
ment has received no inconsiderable
impetus from the results of the prim.
aries held thus far this year in sew
eral states. The nomination bv Indiana
republicans of Albert J. BSveridge over
Senator Harry S. New, Clifford Pin
chot's victory in Pennsylvania ms
forces. and the defeat of Senator Por-
ter J. McCumber in North Dakota were
conspicuous examples of what the nd
v~ocates of the new movement term the
revolt against political machines.
Incidentally. both Beverage and Pin
chot are considered as possible leaders
of the liberals in 1924. Both are re-
publicans. it is true, but both were pro-
gressives in 1912 and enjoyed the close
friendship and confidence of Colonel
Roosevelt. Neither of them has ever
been identified with the 'old guard
wing of the republican party and the
serious thinkers who are laying big
plans for the campaign two years hence
believe that either the Indianian or
the Pennsylvania could be persuaded
to enact the role of national standard
bearer.
1t is quite possible that both Bev-
eridge and Pinchot have presidential
ambitions. In fact. it would be surpris-
ing if they had not. However, it is
also possible. and more than probable,
that both of them have in mind the
working out of their ambition within
the party to which they now own al
legiance rather than the building up of
an entirely new party. They are
known as shrewd politicians as well as
statesmen of caliber. Therefore. they
are not likely to forget that Roose-
welt. for all his tremendous personal
popularity. could not win with a third
party in 1912.
Herbert Hoover. who might have
headed a similar independent movement
in 1920. is mentioned along with Bev-
eridge and Pinchot as a possible leader
of the liberals in the next struggle
for the presidency. as is LaFollette of
Wisconsin. who led the progressives
10 years ago until Roosevelt displaced
him. and also former Senator Kenyon
of Iowa. Hoover, however. is a mem
Der of President Harding's official fam
lily and some of his friends say that he
has no thought of entering the race in
1924 but is looking still further ahead
to the time when Mr.. Harding will have
had his denomination and reelection If
that can be encompassed.
Among the democrats. William Ran
dolph Hearst is pointed out as an in
dependent possibility. The New York
editor is understood to have cherished
White House aspirations for many
years and to have come to the con
clusion that he can never expect to
land the democratic nomination. He is
being talked of now as a democratic
candidate for governor of New York.
but it is said that the cards have been
stacked against him. that he is aware
of the fact and that he will take his
defeat or rejection for that honor at
the hands of the democrats of the En-
pire state as his cue TO plunge into the
third party movement with all the re-
sources at his command.
III Inc IdIner-ldpor Ccalltlon snoulu
develop formidable strength at the polls
this year it may prove an important
factor in the projected new party. In
fact. there are many "ifs" in connection
with the movement that will turn OF
what happens in the elections next
November.
But here is perhaps the choicest
morsel of the gossip anent a third
party-whoever the nominee for preSi-
dent may be. the candidate for vice
president will be a That. ac-
cordins to the board of strategy, is
something for the leaders of the old
parties TO put in their pipes and smoke.