Evening star., 1924-06-24
GLASS STANDS HIGH
AMONG CANDIDATES
Boosted for Appeal to Mod
crate Liberals and AbiI-
ity as Campaigner.
REMAINS IN BACKGROUND
Davis Boom Started Too Soon.
( Leaving Candidate Open to
/. Early Attacks.
REMAINS IN BACKGROUND
ny WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE,


NEW YORK. June 24.-The life his
tory of all Democratic national con-
ventions follows a rather definite
course. Typically in a Democratic
national convention there is a lead
ing candidate, who has nearly a ma
Jority of the delegates and who rare
ly wins Frequently the two lead
ing candidates in the earlier ballots
of a Democratic national convention
destroy themselves, and modest
leader of a rather inconspicuous mi
nority rises into second place and
finally after several days balloting
takes the nomination with the neces-
Sary two-thirds.
Cox at San Francisco, Wilson at
Baltimore. and Cleveland, in his first
nomination, had such a story. The
nomination of Bryan in 1895 at Chi
cago differed from this course only
IN the fact that Bryan in Chicago in
1896 was less conspicuous than were
Cleveland and Wilson and Cox
Alton Parker in 1904 at St Louis
represented the organized conserva-
usm of the Atlantic seaboard states
and the south, and that year he Dem
ocrats failed to function according to
the ancient Democratic tradition.
Glass Ha. Big Chance
This year the stage is set in the
good old-fashioned Democratic way
and If the Democratic convention fol-
lows its regular course McAdoo will
be eliminated after the fifth ballot
and Smith a few ballots later. Then
will begin the rise of some rather
modest candidate, who will start with
possibly less than 200 votes and
gradually increase his strength while
Sroit inc
others hearts out in the death strug-
gle. Over this death struggle will
hover the spirits of the great Demo-
cratic dead who have entered the first
gates of oblivion through such q
struggle-Palmer and Champ Clark
and Harmon, David Bennett Hill,
Thomas F. Bayard and Horatio Sey-
mour.
Must Smell Blood.
If either Smith or McAdoo is nomi-
mated it will be a striking violation
of all Democratic precedent. A DEM
ocratic convention has to smell the
blood of q. death struggle before it
can decide who it will honor.
All of which is a figure of speech,
meaning that in Democratic conven-
tions generally the second-choice man
wins. And when two strong antag-
onists meet, neither is the second
choice of two-thirds. The second
choice man is the inoffensive and in
conspicuous Democrat who remains
henevolently neutral while the leading
antagonists are staging their death
struggle.
Glass in Good Place.
Today, while Smith and McAdoo are
playing Br'er Fox and the tar baby, it
looks as though Carter Glass of Vir-,
ginia, like Br'er Rabbit, is lying low
and saying nothing. He is in a per-
fectly safe position to be the second
choice nominee for the convention, but
he has no great point of advantage.
Ralston of Indiana, John w. Davis
OF West Virginia or possibly Under
wood is in splendid position to COM
mand the second-choice nomina ton of
the convention.
Glass has better points as a candi-
date than the others. In the heat of
campaign he would become tremen-
dously interesting, as he does become
when his temper is aroused. He
would say biting. important and con-
vincing things as the Democratic ma
tional candidate.
Middle Independent Group.
Ralston would be a typical plug-hat-
Prince Albert coat white vested
Democrat, who would stand for moth
ing in particular and make no enc
mics and few converts. Underwood
would, of course, as a candidate, place
the Democratic party in a reactonary
attitude not unlike that of the Re-
:. -The Davis boom has been exposed
too soon. 1t is gathering enemies be-
of
The first day of a convention is no
place for an aspiring second-choice
candidate to show strength. All those
back of him snap at him. Mr.. Bryan
calling attention to the fact that
Davis is a Morgan attorney. The
facts are that even as a Morgan at
torney probably Mr.. Davis would be
the most effective liberal candidate
that the party could nominate.
Would BE Liberal.
The very fact that he had been an
attorney for the Morgans would make
him lean away from Wall street If
the were sent to the White House, and
it is probable if he were nominated
he would develop in his speeches and
in his public attitude arather obvious
liberalism which would attract tne
middle ground independent lloeraIs
who are not quite radical enough TOT
La Toilette and who are rather deep
ly disgusted with the Repupllcan
ticket and platform.
II is to this group located to the
right of La Toilette and far 10 the
left of Coolidge, to this group Wnlch
aSthe residuary legatee OF the Koose.
&eN-Bull Moose tradition, tnat tne
Democrats must appeal II they win
this election. Carter Glass or John
w, Davis could talk to this rnlooie,
independent group. Underwood could
not, McAdaa would lose it. smith
would divide it and Ralston Woulo
make it weary beyond words.
Fear OF Borah.
Young Bob La Toilette is around
the convention scouting for his
father.
There is disquieting rumor IN
the corridors of the political hotels
b.r. that Borah is considering. rather
seriously, taking the independent
nomination at Cleveland. 1t lacks
yerifcation, this rumor, but II Is
giving the Democratic leaders con
siderable anxiety. Soran n mouiu Mow With
out leadership in the country. the
crowd not quite so radical as La
toilette and vastly more liberal tnan
Coolidge. He would make the mae
nendent movement formidable In
avery state in the union.
These Democratic conventions nave
IN the rank and file of the delega-
tons. much more political acumen
and discretion than the rank ana ME
in Republican conventions display. "A
Republican convention is LED oy its
bosses. The delegates, generally,
take orders. Plans are made more
ic