The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-07-28
TIE SCALES WHTcH HOLD rWo
EVILS.
which 10 the Gfaver?-Strtking Letter
From Il. G. Wall Of wisconsin, Democrat ,
and Former National Committeeman

ana FORMER Nnuonai committeeman.
TO THE EDITOR OF TIKI sUs-Sir: Ts
inquiry propounded In the last paragraph OF
the leading editorial IN your issue OF July II
seems TO justify the belief that THE Sun at
that writing had not reached q final conclu.
sion In respect Of the weishty matters dis
cussed therein. Further elaboration Ia ,
therefore suggested before a conclusive
policy 10 determined upon.
In the editorial referred TO H Sun de-
scribes with great moderation how the heavy
hand OF Executive power was recently laid
upona great political party, which wac thereby
forced to surrender It's freedom OF action and
TO accept q candidate designated by the in-
cumbent President TO be his own successor.
From the unexsmpled Presidential per-
suasion. intimida ton and coercion which
attended this result THE Sun deduces the
existence OF a mild but ephemeral crisis.
which can be sufficiently %repudiated by means
Of brief editorial dissent.
From the same premises, but from another
point Of view. It would be perfectly consistent
to argue that II the people confirm at the polls
the proceedings OF the Chicago convention. =.
which 40 far as the nomination for President =
was concerned we're conducted under frank /,
and undisguised Presto duress. they
will establish a nenacing precedent which
In scope and effect will work an immediate
Transformation In our political system, and
WnlCn IN remote COnSeQuenCts hhhy 70
the complete overthrow OF free government
as established under the Constitution.
In considering the various aspects OF these
transactions II must be remembered that
the great danger OF a pernicious prece-
dent arises from forces which are inherent In
human natere Itself. One precedent creates
another, and as Junlus said. an accumulation
OF presidents constitutes law. Examples are
relied upon to Justify the most dangerous
and questionable practices. What yesterday
was q simple fact to-day is doctrine and to.
morrow 10 part of q political system, wrought
thereinto by the simple but effective process
of unchallenged current events.
what President Roosevelt is doing to-day
to subject a convention Mr.. Taft II elected
President will do tomorrow. and thereafter
Presid ents Of all parties, under the pressure Of
established precedent. must do for ell time
to come, to the utter destruction OF self.
restraint or even decency in the conduct OF
our political discussions.
Bismarck argued, In substance. that a.
cause and effect In politics rarely lie close
together It Is always d%ificult. and most
often quite impossible to attract popular
attention to the remote consequences OF
policies and actions which show themselves
In full force as Important factors OF govern.
ment only after q lapse Of considerable time,
To preserve institutions Ii frequently more
difncult than to create them.
The state Of the Union, however. under the
pressure OF this new theory OF Executive pre-
roeative, seems TO present q portentous
Issue well calculated to warm the fancy Of
the most careless and to attract the atten-
ton OF the most indifferent observer. In the
presence Of such Elementary peril all other
causes Of political difference, however i'm
portant In themselves al indicating party
tendencies. may well be REGARDED as matters
Of expectancy, and - such relegated for the
time being to o secondary posit,on.
The essential part Of the inquiry referred
to in the opening paragraph Of this letter.
specifically quoted, 10 as follows:
Yet who shah say It follows that because the
process at Chicago was detestable, while that a.
Denver was admirable IN It's American simplicity
and sincerty. the product Of Denver has the better
claim TO the confidence OF the independent and
patriotic voterf u
To which II 10 believed a conclusive reply
may be made to tho effect that the collective
intelligence Of q free nation. when left 10 Ito
own spontaneous action. responds quickly
to the moulding OF demonstrated facts. with
the result that seriou, errors Of expediency
or policy are promptly corrected In the light
OF actual experience. This Is the most notable
popularity OF enlarged and cunrestrai lined
personal liberty. which 30 long AZ the clemens
Of s~pontaneity Ia maintained In the electorate
insures the perpetuity Of democratic govern
Uuent. hb " N uhiittC tio va. DAye"e
nomination was in every sense legitimate
his election would not only subserve the true
purposes Of our constitutional system but
1t would also safegusrd the elementary prin-
ciples that are menaced by the "detestable-
process at Chicago by which Mr.. Taft was
placed In nomination.
To elect Mr.. Taft under the auspices which
have brought him into candidacy would In
effect endow the President. by reclamation.
90 to speak. with the far reaching preroga.
tive OF nominating his own successor; q
power which would create further posi-
bilities well calculated to arouse the solicttude
OF all patriotic citizens,
The foregoing brief argument may b
further generalized as follows: While ex-
perience has shown that the errors or the
supposed errors ola free electorate are readily
and euectually corrected by subsequent
action at the polls. all history testihes to the
fact that Executive power. once enlarged,
either with or without popular approval.
never has been curtailed without the enusion
OF blood.
Assuming the correctness Of these views.
can there be any doubt that the product OF
Denver has a better claim to the confidence
Of the independent and patriotic voter" than
the product Of Chicago'
In order to fortify and strengthen an Inn
portant principle it In frequently necessary
to censure ell that Il contrary thereto; this
is more especially 80 when the stability ofs
great nation Ia In jeopardy. these views are
therefore presented without asperity. and
with only such emphasis as In essential 70
perspicuous statement. and II IA hoped with
such patriotic simplicity az will appeal TO
the sensibilities OF THR Sun. and thereby
possibly induce further investigation and
reflection In the premises.
This letter is written In the belief that
the manner Of MIR. 1aft's nomination has
created the most ominous issue which has
confronted the nation since 1891. In other
words the stability Of free government Itself
is involved. You can therefore readily
understand how agreeable II would be to the
writer to know that THE Sun Is prepared 70
subordinate all other consld erations to the
exigencies OF the moment. and to rally for
the time being to the only standard which
In the present crisis can efectually protect
the republic In a matter Of transcendent
importance. Z. c. WALL.
lt