The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-11-03
CAMPAIGN OFFERS
LESSON TO THIRD
PARTY HOPEFULS
PREPARATIONS FOR NEW co.
ALITIoN PARTY AMOUNTED
TO BUT LITTLE IN ACTIVE
TIES CARRIED ON


By BYRON PRICE
(Chief Of Bureau. The Associated
Press washinEtOnD
Those who are talking of build
ing new political parties for 1910
will find cause for serious reflec-
ton in the lessons of 1896.
Only a few months ago things
were SO badly mixed, and signs of
revolt were so widespread and con-
vincing within both of the old par
ties, that one experienced political
leader predicted that five or six
Presidential tickets would divide
this years electoral vote amongst
them.
Figuring that the established or
der of alignments was definitely
on the rocks, leaders of the Farm
er-Labor party in Minnesota and
of the Progressive party in Wis
consin devoted many intensive
hours to considering what they
might do on a national scale.
Preparations for a brand new
coalition party, to include conser-
vative Democrats and Republi-
cans, reached a stage where Sc
rious thought was given to meth
DDS of selecting a candidate.
The socialists, communists and
other perennial "also rams"
thought they saw a golden eppor-
tunity to strengthen their posi-
tions. A group of labor leaders
pondered formation of a labor
party. The Townsend, Long and
Coughlin organizations caused a
lot of genuine worry among the
O.dliners.
Yet what did it all amount to
in terms of votes?
None Got Far
Just one newcomer, the Union
party finally got on the ballot in
an appreciate number of states,
but before the campaign was well
under way it settled back into the
ranks where voting strength is
computed in minor percentages.
Some of other lesser parties de-
cided not to put up tickets of their
own. Others nominated Presiden-
tial candidates who spent much of
their time advising the voters how
to choose between Roosevelt and
Landon.
Apparently not one of these
groups except the Union party
benefited in the least from the
wholesale boiling from the old par
ties. And even the Union party
failed to attract outstanding bolt
ers. Every prominent Democrat
who walked away headed straight
for the Republican corral, and vice
versa.
Nor did the Union party fail 70
experience all of the TROUBLES which
beset similar new organizations in
ordinary years.
Many believed that had Huey
Long lived, a highly powerful
third-party movement might have
been developed around him. Since
his departure things seem to have
been shifting steadily back toward
the old two-paTty basis.
Labor May Be Exception
The one possible exception, as
matters stand today, lies in the
still nebulous plans of some of Mr..
Rooseve.t's labor supporters to
launch a party of their own four
years hence.
The leaders of this movement
point out that they already have
a nationwide union labor organiza.
ton through which to work, and
that they might not encounter
therefore the usual new party
handicaps. But experience indi-
Gates that far more is necessary
DIR. Townsend and Father Cough
lin also had nationwide organiza
tons which functioned quite
smoothly until they. got into poll
tics.
Nor will any wise aspirant Il
new party leadership forget thai
the Republican and Democrat.
parties have one reliable anC
mueh-needed asset. namely, votes
pECAT DEED LAC