The Republican., 1924-08-28
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
William Jennings Bryan Told
The Democratic Convention
of Mr.. Davis Handicap

anguish which have been issueing !
from Democratic National Head !
quarters and vicariously uttered by
Democratic leaders in all sections, |
nothing has so completely gotten the !
Democratic goat-not donkey-as
Charles Dawes definition of the three /
parties in the field. With that same
incisiveness with which he diagnosed |
the European situation and devised a
plan which all Europe is now prais- |
ing, Gen. Dawes declared the presi- |
dental campaign to be a contest be-
tween progressive conservatism"
and "untried and dangerous radical
ISM" He went on to show that the
real radical could find no escape from
voting for La Toilette, the conserva-
tive, no matter how progressive he
might be, could find no ground for
voting for other than Coolidge This,
of course, left Davis wholly out of the
equation and that is what has given
the Davis-ites she'll shock-for they
know it is true. And then, to rub it
in, Gen. Dawes accurately described
the Democracy as a party which Gin
stead of recruiting itself from the
two party lines, will suffer only the
fate which befalls those who try to
straddle in a real fight" 1t was as
true as it was cruel and that, no
doubt, is why the Davis supporters
are so angry. The Democrats had
hoped to advocate radicalism in the
west and conservatism in the east, to
play both ends against the middle,
and now the General exposes their
hand, shows up their game and no
Democrat knows how to answer him.
What Davis is, William Jennings
| Bryan told the Democratic conven-
ton. "Mr. Davis present employment
would be a fatal handicap in presi-
Dental race" said the once Peer
less One. "He would not carry
single state west of Pennsylvania,
and as no Democrat is likely to carry
an eastern state against Coolidge.
this would leave only the south, which
has not enough votes to elect a presi-
dent. The n. Y. Times, a leading
Democratic organ, tells why Bryan
was picked for vice-presidential can
didate. It says, at is by this time
pretty plain that Gov. Bryan was
chosen as Democratic candidate for
the vice-presidency with one clearly
defined object. He was to hold the
vote of the farmers and the laboring
men in certain strategic western
states against the assaults of Senator
La Toilette" And now the inevita-
BILE result of that sort of a straddle is
becoming obvious. Davis, seeking to
endear himself to the western states.
is becoming too radical for the east.
and Bryan is becoming too conserva-
tive for the west, and the Democratic
leaders are in a terrible funk because
they foresee the prediction of their
peerless leader coming true.
According to Senator Ed Smith of
New Jersey, there is another occas-
ion of gravest anxiety to the Demo-
Gratis. They have learned that a con-
siderable number of Bryan Demo-
Gratis are trying deliberately to de-
feat Davis. That is, they are urging
the La Follette-its to make a fight
which will throw the election into
the Senate-the House is obviously
deadlocked-so as to insure Bryan's
becoming President, Many, too, will
themselves vote for La Toilette to
this end. They regard Davis as in
alienably associated with "Wall
Street" Their views on this subject
were strikingly confirmed by Senator
Tom Walsh in his speech informing
Davis of his nomination. They would
prefer a Democrat to La Toilette,
provided the Democrat was sufficient
ly radical, and they perceive in the
] archaic provisions of the constitution
a method whereby they can eliminate
Davis and put the Democratic radical
into the White House without appear
ing to desert their party. Just how
far this movement has gone is known
only to the Democratic leaders and
they wont tell. But Senator Smith
declares it is very extensive in
Minnesota, and adjacent states.
Senator Wheeler, who has just
come back to Washington, declares
his faith that the election will be
thrown successively into the House
and Senate with the result that
Bryan will be elected President. 'In
every section outside the South.
Davis will run third and a poor third
at that" said Wheeler. Wheeler said
he regarded Bryan as progressive
but added, "The West might be for
Bryan for first place, but they wont
be for him as a running mate for
Davis. Then, if Bryan happens to be
elected as the result of the deadlock
in the House, the West will be well
satisfied For they know a vote for
RrVan is a vote for Davis Therefore