Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-04
ROOSEVELT IN KEY PLACE
FOR 1882 NOMINATION
New York Political Horoscope Favors
Governor on Decidedly Live Cues
ton of Public Utilities.

other newspapers against the power
trust" So does the unwisdom Of the
public utilities themselves with respect
to the financial practices Of some OF
them and their methods of propaganda.
This, then, will be the picture about
six months from now: Franklin D.
Roosevelt will have been twice elected
Governor Of New York State-will have
twice demonstrated his capacity 70
carry the State that carries the heaviest
weight Of all, both in nominating con-
ventions and in elections. That record
alone will go far toward giving Gov.
Roosevelt primacy with respect to the
Democratic presidential nomination IN
1882. To deny the nomination to
man with such a vote-getting record
would be too pointed. For that matter,
there Is no good reason for denying him
the nomination. He has a good record,
a good presence and good name-a
good name both In the sense Of good
reputation and also in the potent sense
of bearing the name Roosevelt" He
is clearly wet enough to be satisfactory
to the wet Democrats. yet apparently
not so wet as to be unsatisfactory to
the drys. In short, Gov. Roosevelt
seems to be "set" for the Democratic
presidential nomination to q degree
that is rarely the case with any candi-
date two years before the nomination
occurs.
The Democratic issue in 1892 win be,
as often, what the candidate makes 1t.
The issue, with Mr.. Roosevelt a. the
candidate, will be public utilities.
Possible impeachment.
So far, so good. There should be
mentioned, however possible tmpedi-
ment to the latter part of this program
Gov. Roosevelt will have been elected
Governor of New York on a pledge to
do something about public utilities. He
will thereafter be Governor of New
York for full year and half before
the Democratic national convention
takes place. He will have been Gov
ernor of New York throughout two full
sessions of the Legislature. He viii
have had, thers fore, considerable OPP
portunity to substitute something con-
crete for the phrase do something
about public utilities" He will have
been obliged to say at least twice in
messages to the Legislature, and per-
haps many other times, exactly what
utilities. Not only will he have been
obliged to state his program. the pro-
gram will have been subjected to clari-
flying discussion ar minds, not only
among his critics and opponents, but
among many disinterested persons will
have learned just how far Gov. Roose-
velt's program carries him toward pub
lie ownership and public operation.
Throughout all this period there win
be many pitfalls. Not only pitfalls.
Inherent in the public utility question
are intricate complexities. To lay out
program for further regulation--if
regulation 1t is to be; or for modified
or partial public ownership. If it is to
be that--in short, to chart the way
for whatever Is to be done in the
United States about public utilities, Is
task for the highest order of states
manship. Gov. Roosevelt will have had
the eyes of the country focused upon
him. with respect to this question. for
a full year and half hsfcre the DEM
ocratic nomination Of 1922 takes place.
Utilities to Be an Issue.
Whether this horoscope be fulfilled
in detail or not. one large part OF 1t
seems fairly certain. Fen II Gov.
cratic presidential nomiret!on, public
utilities are going to COMPOSE a polit-
ical issue in the United States. It Is
q national political issue already. No
one can understand all the rr sent row
about the Supreme Court--not the spe-
cial row about Judge Parker. but the
more fundamental one about CHIEF
Justice Hughes-without understanding
certain theories associated with the re-
lation of public utilities 10 government.
Wherefore, the writer of this article
sadly foresees for himself an arduous
prospect. This writer has, during q
few years past, dripped seas Of cere-
bral sweat trying to make clear to
readers the meanings and bearings OF
certain cryptic phrases and slogans as
ISOLATED with political controversies
that blazed through the headlines for
a time. He has tried to clarity
equalization fee" and flexible pro-
vision" and "debenture plan" and
"nullification"s and concurrent juris-
diction" and the Senate reservations to
its adherence to the World Court and
parity" And the clarifying of the
sum of these and of many more is not
so tortuous a task as 1t is going to be
to make simple the distinction between
present reproduction value" and "pru-
dent investment value"-which phrases
are the battle cries of two contending
schools Of thought about public utili-
ties.
The public utility question includes.
as respects the valuation part Of It
and the part Of which the Supreme
Court Is the arena-it includes a cur
rency question. 1t is entangled in the
mazes that attend the changing value
Of the dollar. 1t has. in short some
Of the characteristic bedevilments that
attend understanding or misunder-
standing of Bryan's free silver" issue.
his "16-to-1" panacea and his Gross
of Gold" speech.