Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-31
Politics at Large
By G.. Could Lincoln.

In certain sections and certain
groups of the people, names which
have played important parts in ma
tional elections for more than a
quarter Of a century--will not figure
In the campaign of 1928. The men
who bore these names are dead. One
was the great Commoner of the Dem
ocratic party, William Jennings Bryan,
and the other. the great Progressive
of the Republican party, Robert M.
La Toilette. With both these domi-
mating figures out of the picture.
the so.called Progressive elements in
both the old parties are somewhat
at a loss where to turn.
1t appears, however, that both the
names. Bryan and La Toilette, Will
be carried into the campaign, Col.
Bryan's by his brother. Brother
Charley" formerly Governor of Ne
braska and Democratic nominee for
Vice President in 1924, and Senator
La Follette's by his son, the present
Senator Robert M. La Toilette, jr.
The Nebraska Democratic Club has
Just Endorsed Mr.. Bryan for the
Democratic nomination for Presl-
dent. But Brother Charley has de-
clared that he Is not a candidate
for the nomination. Well neither
il Gov. AL Smith Of the great state
Reed of Missouri. nor the rest OF
the possibilities. But, except that
Mr.. Bryan may have the support of
the State delegation at the Demo-
cratic national convention next year
in the opening ballots, no one serl-
ously considers him in connection
with the presidential nomination at
this time. His nomination as Vice
President in 1924 was the price OF
Col. Bryan's support of the ticket
that year, with John w. Davis at
it's head. The records do not snow
that Mr.. Bryan added much strength
to the ticket.
* X y
So far as La Toilette is concerned
the present Senator La Toilette comes
up for reelection. He will have some
thing to say, too, about the delegation
which Wisconsin will send to the Re
publican national convention. The
delegation is likely to go uninstructed
In recent conventions the Wisconsin
delegation voted invariably for the
late Senator La Toilette for Presi
dent. Senator La Toilette the
younger, however, will not be OF con
stitutional age for President of the
United States, and so it is not ex
pected that delegation will present his
name to the convention.
Both the late Col. Bryan and the
late Senator La Toilette were looked
upon askance by big business. They
were feared. Col. Bryan once sale
that no man ever made a million dol
lars honestly. That was earlier in hi:
career, and he probably modified thi:
belief later. But he was a constant
critic Of Wall Street and the so-callet
interests The late Senator La Fal
lette stood always ready to attack
Wall Street and the f1nanciers
thereof.
No champion of the people
stands forth today as prominently a:
did Col Bryan and Senator La Fol
lette. 1t may be that such a cham
pion will be brought forth before ths
next national conventions meet. Bu
he has yet to be produced. The dream
Of many Progressives in 1924, includ
ing Senator La Toilette, that thu
time had arrived for the establishment
Of new party lines, with all the lib
erals grouped on one side and all the
conservatives on the other, gives M
promise at this time of being realized
The country has been on a conserva
tive orgy for the last seven or eigh
years. It is still too prosperous Il
give the liberals and the radicals
much hope of a turnover. The or
CARNATIONS of the two old major
parties are still firmly intrenched. I
is true that another ruction among
the Democrats like that Of 1924 a
Madison Square Garden might go fal
to disrupt that party. But as long a.
the Solid South stands intact, on thu
one question which keeps the Soutl
Democratic, the old party of Thoma!
Jefferson, Jackson, Cleveland and VIII
son is likely to continue.
Secretary Hoover of the Department
of Commerce has a firm supporter fol
the Republican nomination for Presi
dent in GOV. Spaulding of New Hamp
shire. But Senator George H. Moses o
that State, who is considered the bos
of Republican politics there, is for al
uninstructed delegation to the mex
Republican national convention. New
Hampshire, as it happens, holds thu
first presidential preferential primary
of any of the States, next March. Be
cause it is the first primary, the re
suits will be watched and commented
upon widely. What New Hampshire
does. therefore, will be considered
more significant than might ordinarily
be the case. Senator Moses is cred
tied with having expressed his dis
pleasure with the prompt statement
of Gov. Spaulding. after the an
nouncement of President Coolidge
that he did not choose to run fol
President next year, in support Of
Mr.. Hoover.
An uninstructed delegation. with
Senator Moses at its head, might be
swung, as Mr.. Moses desired, to this
or that candidate.
Perhaps this is what Senator Moses
desires. He has not publicly com
mitted himself yet to any of the Re
publican presidential possibilities. II
1920 he was one of the preconventior
managers for the late Gen. Leonard
Wood. In 1924 Senator Moses an
nounced his desire to go to the ma
tional convention as an uninstructed
delegate at large. But this was to,
much for the New Englanders in New
Hampshire. They were for nomina
ton of President Coolidge first. last
and all the time in 1924, and Mr.
Moses was raped over the knuckles
losing his race for delegate at large
1t has recently been reported that
Senator Moses had committed Gov
Spaulding to an unpledged delegation
to the next Republican national con
vention. Senator Moses was one of
the bitter-enders against the League
of Nations, and the friendliness which
Mr.. Hoover once exhibited toward the
League and the entry of the United
States into it may have something to
do with the desire of Mr.. Moses to
have the delegation uninstructed.
y X
While Charles Evans Hughes