The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-05-20

can leaders here who have been praying
for a change of control inside the Re-
publican party. Indeed these Republi-
cans insist that there is a paraliel to
the situation which existed in 1910. in
the middle of the Taft administration
when the Progressive and conservative
wings of the party came into conflict.
The struggle for. control ended in divi-
sion. The Progressives say the struggle
now will end in Progressive ascendency
which win avoid a divided party or any
third party movement. The Progressives
have better chance to get control this
time, too. they contend, because the
women are voting now. while they
didn't in 1872, and, therefore, the regu-
lar Republican organizations could have
things their own way.
All this talk of Progressive control is
disconceRting, naturally, to the regulars
identified with the Harding administers
ton. They had imagined the Republi-
can party was firmly convinced of the
necessity of conservative control Pres
ident Harding had ventured to speak
publicly what SO many regulars had
only been whispering, namely, that the
primary system was a mistake and had
been abolished in favor of the old con-
vention system. Right in Mr.. Harding s
cabinet, however, is a man who just be-
fore entering the cabinet as secretary of
the movement for the perpetuation of
the primary system in New York state.
Charles Evans Hughes has maintained
his fidelity to the primary system, and
SO far as national politics is concerned,
has conducted his job on foreign rela-
tions without mixing in international
policies. So has Herbert Hoover. an
other member of the Harding cabinet,
who leans toward the Progressive side of
things.
Not Accidental Division.
The division in Mr.. Hardings own
cabinet as between Pregressives and con-
servatives is not accidental-it was Mr.
Harding's idea of gathering together at
the cabinet table representatives of al
factions of the Republican party, but il
was on the assumption that the regulars
were recognizing the minority-the Pro
gressiyes--and that the Republican nj
tional organization and local Organiza
tions would retain control everywhere
Should the Progressiyes gather enough
momentum to start boom for one OF
pose Mr.. Harding's denomination purely
on fundamentals, which they would tern
''reactionary' and not on any personal
basis for Mr.. Hardug's personal popu
larity and likeableness is admitted. TC
make the fight they might draft either
Hughes or Hoover. though the number O.
Progressive aspirantS for the presidenc!
| is by no means a handful. But the sig
nificant circumstance of today is thai
the returning power of the Progressive
| is causing no little concern. 1t may in
| fuence President Harding himself t
| lean more decidedly toward the Progress
sives and forget such suggestions as al
abolition of the primary system and per
| haps revive his interest in social wei
| e. n
education and other things which tn
| women have been persistently trying t.
accomplish.
See Another 1912 Opportunity.
As for the Democrats, they view witt
natural delight any disturbance inside
the Republican party. Even though tht
primaries have been contested between
Republican factions the Democrats ar
not slow to point out that the disaffec
ton is over something and that some
thing must be the existing adminiStra
ton and alignment with ''Old Guard
methods and doctrines. The Democrat
see no more chance today than in 19l.
for n reconciliation between such Oppo
site thinkers as ProgressiYes. and con
servatives. The Democrats rode int
power in 1912 on a Republican division
They are confident that a third part
movement will not be necessary at thi
time for if the Republicans nominate
conservative and the Democrats pick a.
outstanding Progressive the Democrat
would count upon the acquisition of tn
Progressive Republican vote in 1924 jus
as in 1916 in California, when the acct
dental alignment of Hughes with the reg
uIar organization gave Wilson the bull
of the Progressive vote and a nationa
victory.
The real struggle for control of tn
] N Aa. = H. nv
pected TO come in the East. The part!
changes in 1912 came first out of tn
West with the rise and growth of til
so-called insurgents movement. That
why upheavals in states east of the Mis-
sissippi like Indiana and rock-ribbet