The border vidette., 1932-06-25

mination has been obvious from
the first.
The need of real progressive
who understood the wants of the
entire country. instead of those
of the eastern seaboard only, has
been impressed on everyone. OF
all the candidates who have been
talked of from time to time, Gov
ernor Roosevelt has been obvi-
ously the best equipped by his
understanding of the problems
that confront US and by his pro
gressive record "a the Governor
of the state of New York for
four years.
I. has been a highly significant
feature of the campaign for
r )osevelt sentiment has in every
state sprung from the ranks OF
the voters them selves. l. is the
rank and f!e of the Democrats
ia each state that has so impress
ed the state leaders as to cause
them to swing into line and de
clare their delegations for the
r ,ossvelt cause.
When this irrespressible senti
ment became 80 manifest as to
make Governor Roosevelta lead.
ing candidate a year ago in
spite OF his refusal to consider
the matter so long 10 advance, it
was confidently prophesied by
those who hoped to secure the
nomination Of So called ultra
conservative" candidate, that the
Roosevelt boom" could not pos
sibly last for a year-that no
leader so early in the race ever
remained leader during the last
months before the Convention.
This would have been a j1stlfi
able prophesv had it bean mere
ly a Roosevelt boom, but we,
who had access to the G GJvernor's
files and had seen the thousands
of letters from all over the coun
try voluntarily pledging the sup.
port of Democratic leaders from
north, east, south and west, and
begging the Governor to make
the fight, knew that this was not
merely an artifically stimulated
drive for the nomination, but a
tremendous sentiment of the
voters of the country who had
quite definitely made up their
minds during the last two years.
that Governor Roosevelt was the
man who could win.
When Governor Roosevelt was
still far in the lead after six
months, it was necessary to re-.
wise these original prophesies
and it was then claimed that be
could not possibly win because
the fact that he was the leader
would concentrate all the opposi
ton upon him and there would
be an amalgamation of opposing
interests who would form q
stop Roosevelt block. Various
candidates we're next advanced,
one after another, as being the
eventual choice of this stop
Roosevelt" vote but after a few
weeks of newspaper headlines
each attempt to build up form
liable rival was abandoned one
by one.
Three mouths later new
theory was put forward as to
how Governor Roosevelt was to
be defeated. Tnere was to be
no rival candidate before the
Convention. but therein some
MYSTERIOUS way the details of
which we're never made public
for the excellent reasons that
there was no way-all of the
states not definitely committed
to the Governor were to throw
their favorite sons overheard
aud unite behind some myster;
Gus candidate who would be trot
ted out at the last minute.
There are now-two weeks be
fore the Convention-eisht fav.
orite sons in the field; six with
one state, one with two states
and one with four states to bis
credit. OF these eight candidates
FIVE have publicly declared that
they will not permit their delega.
tious to form q part of a block to
stop anybody movement.
If any one thing is clear about
the temper of the coming con
vention, it is the determination
of all the states to permit no
minority blockade of the undoubt
ed choice of maj jority of the de.
legates. The bitter experiences
of eight years ago has not been
forgotten, nor will it be when
the delegates meet.