Evening star., 1935-08-29
THE POLITICAL
MILL
By C.. Gould Lincoln.


close the breaches in the wall next year
and show all Democrats shoulder to
shoulder supporting the New Deal PreSi-
dent is not new. 1t, however, has some
times been wrong.
The New Deal has been sugar coated.
The food Of dollars which its major
measures have spread over the country
has made palatable many things which
would never have been swallowed other
wise. For example. how many farmers
today would be willing TO cut their crops
down II they were not paid for 1t with
checks from the Federal Government?
The Congress which has just closed
appropriated $10,250, ,000, 900 and author
ized other expenditures. Here, indeed, Is
a lot OF sugar" Who shall say at this
writing that it may not be as effective
in 1896 as 1t was in 1884?
To get back, however, to the question
as to whether the Democratic ranks Will
close up completely in the national
election. In the last three years some OF
the Democrats have been getting sorer
and sorer. They have disagreed entirely
with the New Deal policies, with its
major spending operations and its set
up Of more and more bureaus 1t may
be remembered that In 1882, former Gov.
Alfred E. Smith Of New York finally
took the stump for President Roosevelt
and did great service for him in Massachu-
sets and Rhode Island, In New Jersey,
New York and elsewhere. viii Mr.. Smith
take the stump for Roosevelt in 1886?
Will John w. Davis, former Gov. Ely OF
Massachusetts,. former Gov. Ritchie OF
Maryland and many men Of their type
and caliber be found aligned with the
New Deal in the coming campaign? 1t
must be admitted that it will be strange
II these gentlemen take their coats of
and go to work for the Democratic ma
tional ticket.
It looks. on the other hand. as though
the President would have the support
of practically all of the Democratic mem
bers Of Congress who are seeking re-
election-and they are a large number.
Outside OF the irritating Mr.. Long, the
Democratic Senator's and Representatives
will probably cling to the coat tails OF
Mr.. Roosevelt. That is. unless they
should become convinced that they
would be stronger merely standing on
their own feet. But, generally speaking.
the Democratic members OF Congress
who helped to put through all the New
Deal legislation and appropriations will
feel that 1t Is sink or swim with Roosei
welt. Probably that Is what the RooSe-
welt leaders have in mind when they
predict that the pull Of party loyalty will
bring the Democrats into line next year.
However, there are q lot Of Democrats
who do not sit in Congress. and who.
therefore may not feel the same urge to
campaign for the New Deal.
~
Almost spontaneously the President
and the New Deal are aSSailed from
three Democratic sources. Bainbridge
Colby, Secretary of State under Wood
row Wilson, calls for an old-time Jetfer-
sonian Democratic party and plans are
said to be under way to launch such an
organization. Old-timers are referring
to what happened in 1896, when the
gold Democrats, the followers of Grover
Cleveland, broke away from the Demo-
Gratis who nominated the late William
Jennings Bryan Of Nebraska. free silver
and all. But at glance at the figures of the
1896 election easily brings the informa-
tion that Palmer the nominee of the
conservative Democrats, received only
1889 votes at the polls, while Nc
Kinley's popular vote was 7035,638 and
Bryan's was 6.467.936. Palmer did not
carry a State, and If his vote had been
added to that Of Bryan it would have
made no difference in the final result.
William Randolph Hearst, who seems
sometimes a Democrat and sometimes
not, today, through his wide string Of
newspapers, has issued a call for a
Jeffersonian Democratic party alSo-and
he suggests that Alfred E. Smith be its
candidate next year for President. Now
whether Mr.. Smith will take up with
the idea or not. Mr.. Hearst is sewing
seeds through his newspapers that may
have considerable effect He is not COM
plimentary to President Roosevelt and
the New Dealers, whom he calls the
Socialist Democratic" party. He puts
Roosevelt in the same category with
Kari Marx.
And then there is, Of course, the
Louisiana Kingfish. Huey Long is con-
tinuing to threaten to run for Presi-
dent II Roosevelt is renominated. and II
the Republicans do not put in the field q
candidate acceptable to him-as, for
example, Senator Borah of Idaho. Mr.
Long makes a lot Of leiSe. But 1t is
extremely doubtful that he could as q
presidential candidate on an inde-
pendent ticket obtain more than a few
thousands votes outside Of louisiana,
This Is what will make Mr.. Long hesi-
tate to put himself forward. These
third party tickets, with little organiza-
ton compared to the major political
parties. do not as rule get very far.
In 1882, when the depression was at It's
height, seemed the very year that the
Socialist party would receive a large
vote. Indeed, 1t was predicted by many
persons. But when the ballots had been
counted. Norman Thomas, the Socialist
candidate for President, was found to
have only 68l,951 votes, q miserable
showing when 1t Is remembered that
President Roosevelt received upward of
22000,O00 and former President Hoover.
Republican, had nearly 100000. Yet
1t Is doubtful that Long could beat next
year the record of Thomas, the Socialist.
as an independent candidate, outside
Of Louisiana.
The disturbing factor in the situation
for the New Dealers is that q great mass
Of the people are becoming conscious
that the spending orgy is bringing higher
taxes. The people are really beginning
to feel the pinch-through State and
local tax increases, through plenty of
sales taxes, and in some measure are
beginning to realize that they are pay
ing the Federal Government much more