The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-12
WHAT OF GAYNOR4


eyes Of the whole world he battles against the
shock Backed by the sympathy which every
brave man feels for every other of courage,
be pits his will to live against the chances of
death, to which his age gives the odds. 1t win
Be q hard battle The flush of hope has been
dissipated by doubt. But the people have con-
tidence in the man--and the man has confidence
Tin himself
Nothing makes for quite so exhllrating an
appeal to the human heart as this character of
resistance To the common enemy Nothing in
quite the same degree causes the red blood to
pulse in healthy men as the spectacle of the fight
If mind against body, of determination in the face
Ut fate. Certain death is, repulsive as is the
personal thought of it, it is nevertheless easy
90 die. Once It's breath has chilled the heart,
the human course is surrender, rather than re-
sistance. And it is the subconscious apprecia-
tion of this fact which gives touch of glory to
these quiet sick-bed grapples in which Nature
finds in revolt against her laws the spirit which
she has implanted for her self protection. In
such cases the world, held at arms length and
powerless to aid, watches the silent struggle with
! fascinated sympathy.
If Mayor Gaynor shall die, be viii leave
behind him limitless speculation as to what
has done much in his own energetic and austere
way. The attempt upon his life puts emphasis
upon has service, gains sympathy for himself
The country has had light ON Gaynor. 1t
has seen his quality, taken his measure. It has
found him brave and good. 1t has seen him in
the role of man, playing the part to the gate
Of death, dispassionate, dignifed, courageous II
1 he shall live to renewed strength speculation
may well become the fact of history. Politics
is not divorced from sentiment. The nation is
I set responsive to valor. The belief in heroism
ID not yet confined TO the sensational fash in
J the pan. If the victory over death shall be won,
there will be little further need for Sycamore
Hill to waste its conferences upon whom the Re-
publicans shall nominate for Governor of New
Nork. If, as Governor, Gaynor shall disclose
ne ability he has shown as Mayor, the line of
prnmnfinn will be clearly marked out It rs
not without the probabilities that tho bullet of
B Gallagher, instead of Staying Mayor, shall re-
sult in making President.
To such future the Mayor of New York
lends himself with reason. He is stubborn, will
. ful, severe. He has the quality of taking posi-
3 tion first and hammering it home afterwards.
Unlike Roosevelt, he acts only upon the law.
u Unlike Taft, be does not middle with the law
till the time for action has passed. He is a
Judge, but his judicial quality is plus. He
fretted on the bench, because of it's limitations.
AS an executive, he has not forgotten the linn
4 tations on his power, but he has used his power
70 che limits. A fine, outstanding sane man,
ready to fight, ready to take the field, undismay.
I'd by misfortune and with that elemental pas.
sion for justice necessary to cope with injustice
il ii well within the possibilities that the Amer
can people may find on hospital cot the long.
I lost leader who at the head of the Nation will
cnce more typify America.
NIRGINIA'S PART IN FALL ELECTION
Obsessed with the recollection of the over
Mhelming defeat suffered by Mr. Bryan in hi,
u In campaign for President, people in genera
hase, We think, false impression of the exten
II "a the ground to be recovered in order that the
6 next House of Representatives shall be Demo
cratic. As matter of fact, the size of plurali
~ for candidate for President is far from
~ conclusive standard of practical party strength
~ vots making for such pluralities is frequent
M III ceutered In certain States and localities, thu
81 Sieating preponderance of opinion fctition
NJ misleading as to actual political division. Th
u jtnsnse Taft majorities in New York, and
6nnsylvania, for instance, do not affect the
14A0k Of more even cleavage in closer States. Nor
IA closely contested Congressional districts, doe
th9 Presidential vote necessarily indicate the
iyision OF party strength. A number Of pres
q ent Democrats districts returned Presidential
ajnritiss for Taft; in many others large MAORI
tisp against Bryan left only ANAL margin fo
<asful Republican candidates for Congress
III FaIPs fight, therefore, will have to be con
- almost without relation to the race TO
nident ID 1908.
~ ~ matter at fsot the Republican maiorit.
NV House q Representatives + only forty