The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-08-18
Effort to Restore Party
To Old-Line Democrats

There is, beside all of these fac
tors, the differences within the party
OF which Mr.. Roosevelt is the titular
head. / believe that the Democratic
party machinery was completely
taken over by the radical wing, and
so now there is a definite effort un-
der way to restore the party control
to old and tried Democrats. That
is to say, the effort is to unhorse the
type of men like Ickes, Wallace,
Corcoran, Minton of Indiana, and
others of that stripe. Men like Sem
ator Harrison and Vice President
Garner, and even Jim Farley, do
not like to see those other fellows
in position of responsibility. They
believe in the Democratic party for
Democrats.
So, it is quite apparent that the
struggle for party control is rough
and tumble fight from now on, be-
cause there is convention of the
party to be held in 1910, and it is
not too early to line up delegates.
Were it not for the battle ahead and
the desire of those surrounding Mr..
Roosevelt to keep on with his re-
forms-and the jobs-Mr. Roosevelt
would control the 1910 convention.
His declarations of a purge of the
party has made it impossible for
him to control the convention with
out fight. That is to say, he will
be unable to pick the 1910 nominee
Ito carry out his plans) without a
battle.
President Is Playing
Waiting Game
Now, there are many who believe
that Mr.. Roosevelt's personal popu-
larity will be the only thing suffi-
cient to swing that party control. He
will not be able to nominate his
own pick, but he will be able to
nominate himself, say these observ-
erS.
When we have reached that stage,
therefore, we have reached the point
of determination of the course which
Mr.. Roosevelt will follow. My own
conclusion is definitely that Mr..
Roosevelt is preparing for any even
tuality. He is unlikely to say he
will or will not run. He will wait.
If the situation makes it appear that
he can win, he will "accept" the
nomination; if, however, he believes
that he will get licked, he will try
to pick the nominee. He will select
a man who will do his bidding, if he
has not lost control of the party
convention. I am convinced Mr..
Roosevelt would like to run, but he
will not run if there is certain de-
feat staring him in the face.
And when we talk of third terms
and precedentS, etc., must recall
a certain vote in the senate on Feb
ruary 10, 1928. President Coolidge
had said he did not Choose to
run, but there were many Demo-
Gratis who thought that was a trick
to invite the nomination. So the
senate adopted a resolution, a prec-
edent-making resolution, saying it
was the sense of the senate that no
President ought to have third term
or something to that effect.
How Will They Vote
This Time?
It gave me quite laugh when I
looked up the vote on that resolu-
ton, because / can see some very
delicate situations developing for
some of the senators who voted for
that resolution. It was good poll
tics then, of course, but what,
wonder, are some of those men GO
ing to do if Mr.. Roosevelt moves in
on them with a third term cam
paign?
Of the present Democratic mem
bers of the senate, we find the fol-
lowing as having voted their express
sion that no President should have a
third term: Ashurst of Arizona,
Barley of Kentucky, Gerry of
Rhode Island, Glass of Virginia;
Harrison of Mississippi, King of
Utah, Thomas of Oklahoma, Wag-
ner of New York, Wheeler of Mon
tana, Mcclellan of Tennessee, Nicely
of West Virginia, Pittman of Ne
vada, Sheppard of Texas, Smith of
South Carolina, and Tydings of
Maryland. We find also that Sena-
tor LaFollette of Wisconsin, the
great Progressive leader, voted
against a third term, and we also
note Senator Norris, another Pro-
gressive, who said by his vote that
no man should have third term.
Well, it struck me as being funny.
Take such men as Barley, the New
Deal leader in the senate; and Nicely
and Mcclellan, who continually have
popped off in praise of Mr.. Roose-
welt and who have no complaint
about any phase of the New Deal.
Or consider the plight of Thomas, Of
Oklahoma, who probably will be re-
elected and who, therefore, will be
faced with decision II Mr.. Rose
welt decides to seek q third term.
1t will be easy for Pc: Harrison, or
Wheeler or Smith OF South Carolina,
to vote for a similar resolution in
the next session; but il won: be so
easy for the others TO decide, be-
cause those who have opposed some
of Mr.. Roosevelt's program will be
able to say they are being consis.
tent.
g Western Newspaper Union.