Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1952-05-10
RAlGHT.
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NEW YORK, (GlobaD - Every
now and then someone mounts the
soapboX to declare to all and sun
dry that the Republican Party is
finished unless it wins the next
election. These orators go on to
say that the Party is moribund, is
out of tune with the times, and
does not have the confidence of the
people, by way of explaining why
the Party Of Lincoln, Teddy Roose-
welt and Tom Dewey has been out
of office for nearly 20 years.
This line has been preached so
long that many of the best minds
in the Republican Party have fallen
for it. This is one reporter, how
ever, who just can't swallow it.
In order to understand what has
contributed most to the failure of
the Republican Party in national
elections over the past 20 years,
one has only to consider what has
happened in this country during
that period.
Prior to 1910, no President of the
United States had sought a third
term in the White House. It is
well known fact that today the
President, with his vast power and
prestige and the availability of
media Of mass communication, not
only can force his nomination, but
under favorable circumstances, can
control or influence enough votes
to provide a margin Of victory for
his party. This was shown in. 1910,
1914 and 1913, when public senti-
ment generally favored the Repub-
lican candidates, but the pressure
from the ems" through favors and
threats, was strong enough to
change the tide. This will always
be handicap of Presidential can
didate running against one seek
ing reelection.
The only times in our history
when a President seeking re-eler-
ton has not been successful have
been on those occasions when their
administration got into trouble
either with Congress, with their
hackers, or with the public gen
orally, as was the case of President
John Adams, under whose admins
tration the Alien and Sedition Acts
were passed. Although these meas
ures were directed aainst foreign
ers who stirred up trouble, they
were invoked against all persons
who wrote or spoke against the
government.
Somewhat similar situations that
existed at the time of elections
have determined the outcome on
numerous other occasions. In 1882,
the Hoover Administration was
caught in the midst of the depres-
sion, and Hoover was blamed.
Though Mr.. Hoover was not re-
sponsible for the depression, he
was made to appear so and was
defeated. Since that time, the adj
ministrations have managed to
create crisis about election time,
but it has been a crisis favorable
to them.
The 1862 election should tell an
story. AS things stand
today, there will be no President
seeking reelection, and without
this pressure, it will be interesting
to discover whether the Republican
Party is through and our two-party
system is dead.
Personally, | doubt it. What is
more, should President Truman
change his mind and seek re-nomi-
nation, it is my considered opinion
that the rebellion of the people
against present day conditions and
the strong desire for a change in
the administration and the appear
ance of new faces in our Nations
Capital are such that it would be
next to impossible for Mr.. Truman
to develop enough strength - even
at whistle stops-to achieve sue
ross