Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-06
THEIR CLOSING DAY.
.cnr VIRGINIA BAR ASSOCIATION
AT HOT SPRINGS.
GREAT FEATURE
.,. ADDRESS OF Professor Woodrow
,,uson, of Princeton Univcrsity-
al. Subjcct % Lcndcricss Govern
.,cnt-A Fine Effort.

nor SPRINGS. VA. August 5.-(spe-
..D-The attendance az the third days
...ou OF the state Bar Association was
...s- than that OF the two previous
... and all present unite in saying no
..l,ang In the past has been so gene
fGy satisfactory.
az course. the feature Of the day was
.t. address by Professor Woodrow VIII
,,, of Princeton University on "a
1.alcrlcss Government" DIR. Wilson is
Virginlan. graduate Of the
University OF Virginia, and conse-
ouenuv the social atmosphere was
thoroughly congcnlaL. He has a most
attractive personality. and his polished
ana ornate address was delivered IN a
clear. wen-modulatcd voice, each word
ls.ne well cnunclated and emphasized.
fIs papcr showed long and close study
and a logical and trained mind. After a
graceful introduction he showed that Il
was literally true that our government
WAS without "a leader. The character OF
tbe address may be judged from the
following extracts:
do not believe 70 a necessary feature
nl our government that we should be
without leaders neither do l believe that
WA shall continue 20 be without them;
but as matter Of fact we are now
lcaIcrlcss and we ought 10 ask our
selves why.
Tho President cannot lead. We call his
oa.ro great: say that tho Queen Of Eng
land has u0 power TO be compared with
his. Ie may, no doubt, stand in the way
of measures with a veto very hard 70
oveacap and we think oftentimes with
deep comfort Of the laws he can Kill
whom wo are afraid OF the majority i'm
Cou-rest Congress ional majorities are
doubtless swayed too hy what they know
tle President will 90 with the bills they
send him. But they are swayed some
times one way and sometimes the other,
according TO the temper OF the times and
ue state of parties. They as often make
Dis assured veto a prcteXt for reckless
mess ass "a reason for self-restraint. They
f.ke % sort Of irresponsible and defiant
pleasure in giving him the dare; in
proposing things they know many people
want and putting upon him the lonely
responsibility Of saying no. And IL he
stand for long I'm the way Of any serious
party purpose they heat opinion against
lm and make his position moro and more
unpleasant until he yields or is finally
C.e.raait03. 10 is n game I'm which he has
ro means Of attack and few effective
Weapons of defence.
It was not so en- the early days Of the
governments Roughly speaking, Prcsi-
dents were leaders. until Andrew jack
SON went home TO the Hermitage"
frr IA
ior,f The government itself-for reasons
ro man any longer needs to have stated
10 him.
John Adams. the second President, was
almost as great "a figure I'm all civil
affairs ass Washington himself. Jefferson
WAS born leader OF men. who not only
loi hIs party but first created st and
fIal taught &C. the methods of power.
Madison felt. in no small measure, that
compus.on by which later Presidents
lv the half dozen have been led and
mastered tho compassion Of congress
sional initiative. resident I'm that day
Of change en- the persons Of Henry Clay
and John c. Calhoun, under whom.
themselves youngsters I'm the arena, a
youue party was coming 20 self-con-
s-ionsucss and authority
The men who are sent out to our nomi-
most part. little known. and I'm other
matters little regarded; men who have no'
thing TO do with legislation. and who are
without any responsible part whatever
en- the choice OF policies for the nation.
SINGULAR THINGS.
Singular things happen. A new figure
cmerees. sometimes. behind the accepted
candidate, the figure Of his hacker and
manager. the Mark Hanna Of the fight
Nobody has known him, until now, out
side his state. Men hear his name with
curiosity. But If his candidate be elect
I'd they hear ID for a little while with
awe. and behold a new Colossus in the
midst Of our shifting politics.
And even If things 80 differently, even
when the man whom the convention nom
mates is some one whose career and i'm
nueuce we know or can assess, how often
does ii happen that he is such man as
viii be accepted as a real leader at Wash
mgton. where alone he can Ieao7 No
body supposes. l take Il. that Mr.. NC
Kinley was ever the real leader of the
Republican party. He did not even play
O. really constructive part in the framing
Of the celebrated tariff law which we
call 10y his name; but the country thought
that be did and rejected what they
deemed his handiwOrk i'm the most en-
rhatic manner by name and title. What
ever personal admiration Mr.. Mckinley
may have excited by reason OF the sin
cerity simplicity. and directness of his
character he was clearly dwarfed i'm all
matters Of party choice by Mr.. Reed and
Mr. Lodge, and the real leaders of the
Republican ranks.
The Speaker OF our House is it's mas
ter How absolutely members of the
House have known these two genera
lions and more. but the general public
have only recently begun 20 find out. II
has time ont of mind been the custom
amongst us TO elevate the leader Of the
dominant party in the popular House tC
its speakership. ever since Colonial times
when the Speaker Of the Assembly was
our spokesman against the domineerina
Governor whom the Crown had appoint
cd.
4 SILENT MASTER.
Here. then, IS your silent master o
men and OF policies I'm the House, IN
Speaker. who appoints the committee
which originate legislation, determine
the order Of business at every critica
point through the Committee on Rules
and sees whom he will amongst thOs
who would put themselves forward il
the business Of the House. l have no
described him to condemn him. l do no
zee how else business could 80 forwar
In an assembly which would otherwis
be a mere mass-meeting. But ] do wis
10 make b evident that this Is an extra
ordinary picture. and that II sets on
National Legislature apart as uniqu
among the representative assemblies O
the world-unique In having its leade
silent and I'm the form OF his Office
mere moderator. and in having its cours
OF action determined by management an
not by debate.