The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-08-24
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY DOES
NOT HAVE THE CONFIDENCE
OF THE PEOPLE.


OF THE PEOPLE.
The more or less inspired" story |
going the rounds that the Democratic
party has decided to center its efforts
this year upon carrying several state
elections rather than the next Con-
gress, has a great many facts to give
it su5stantiatiOn. - -
The underlying fact is that the
Democratic party has nothing upon
which they can go to the people in the
approaching campaign and ask for a
vote of confidence. The party has no
program. 1t stands for no policy. It's
leaders are at loggerheads. Its issue
in 1920 was the league of nations; its
leader was Woodrow Wilson.
Today the party is hopelessly split
upon the issue of the league of ma
tions. The victory of Senator Reed
in Missouri was a terrific blow to the
league of nations followers and an
even worse blow to the Wilson fac
ton. The fact that former Senator
Vardaman, of Mississippi, received
the highest number of votes in the
state primary, is another blow to the
leadership of the Wilson crowd.
These facts have an evil meaning
for Democracy. The Wilson Demo-
Gratis are not good Democrats in the
s4i Sc that they are for the party
first. They have always been distin-
guished by the advocacy and prac
tice of the policy of rule or ruin"
Woodrow Wilson himself was the
shining exemplar of this policy. No
President in the history of the Unit
ed States ever interfered So unjusti-
fiably and so automatically in the
primaries of his party as did Presi-
dent Wilson He and his followers
still practice that policy. There is
not the least doubt that they will
knife Senator Reed in Missouri. There
is not the least doubt they will knife
any other Democrat who is nominated
against their wishes. There is not
the least doubt they would sooner
see the Democratic party go to pieces
than to see it succeed under leader
ship other than their own.
The Democratic minority in the
Congress has developed no leader
ship. The Democratic "leaders" in
the Senate are "windjammers. They
are Tom Hefin, Pat Harrison and
Tom Caraway, the political light
weights, all demagogues. They have
no depth, no craftsmanship and no
quality of leadership. They are Meth
err admired or feared by their Dem
ocratic associates. Their constant
abuse and villifcation on the floor of
the Senate has disguised not only
the substantial Democrats in Con-
gress but has Disguised outstanding
Democrats everywhere. Such Demo
cratic papers as the New York Times
and the Baltimore Sun in the north
and the Richmond Dispatch in the
south have repeatedly deplored the
fact that the Democratic members of
neither branch of Congress have
exhibited any symptoms of leader
ship, have formulated any policy or
have shown any cause why the coun-
try should return the Democrats to
control of either branch of Congress
The Democratic publicity reflects
this low estate. 1t offers nothing
constructive. It is broadcasting q
lot of ridiculous assertions which have
no foundation in fact. 1t is devoted
largely to cheap abuse. 1t has beer
compelled to abandon a discussion OF
first one issue and then another be
cause it had no facts with which tt
back up its assertion. Even upon tht
tariff, about which it is making the
loudest noise,it is compelled to wit
ness Democratic senator's voting fol-
the protective schedules almost ev
cry roll call. 1t is common knowl
edge that Senator Ashurst, of Arizo
ma, Senator Jones, of New Mexico
and Senator Kendrick, of Wyoming
are making campaigns upon the fac
that they have supported the legisla
tive program put over by the Repub
lican Congress.
The Democratic organization il
several states has sought to strength
en- itself By making a shameful com
bination with the ragtag and bobtai
elements, with the Communists, So
cialists and others who advocate al
sorts of dangerous doctrines. Tn
result of this policy has been ne
loss to the Democratic ranks in tn
states where this sort of combina
ton was engineered by the Demo