The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-10-23

our institutions and as certainly destruc-
tive of them as any assumed or invoked
in the name Of the Southern Confederacy.
Such preachment is not nationalism.
either new or old. but Imperialism pure
and simple. II is, IN spirit at least. as
REASONABLE as secession itself
The power IL would give TO the Presi-
dent OF the United States would be far
more autocratic and dangerous TO the liz
critics OF this people thar are those Of
any monarchy in Europe.
NO wonder w j. Bryan cries out in
amazement against IT, In his widest
flights he has never suggested anything
approXimating such a programme.
1T has one saving feature, however
There is about Il all such a preposterous
absurdity and such an insufferable ego
tism as 10 excite not only condemnation
but ridicule. 1t is another case Of vault
Ing ambition Oerleaping itself.
1t has dlspelled illusions that had be-
come dangerous. The people now better
understand the author and know better
how 10 judge what he proposes. They are
not likely 10 longer regard him as an
Improvement on George Washington and
Abraham Lincoln. There is ground for
hope now that what he proposes will no
longer be accepted as a matter or course,
but only II found To be safe and sound
This Will be better for him and better for
us. II Will lessen his multitudinous duties
and stop the work OF driving into retire
ment as a reactionary every great lead
er who does not subscribe on sight 10 his
fantastic vagaries.
No Worse Than I'm Past.
The human race has never been per
feet, II never will be until the millen-
MUM comes. In all ages and In all coun-
tries there have lived men who might
have been better. There has never been
time in this country when there were
not some bad men TO be found In every
party. Neither has there ever been a
time when there were not some bad men
in Official position and there never has
been time when there were not some
bad methods or bad practices. as well as
bad men. connected with the business
transactions Of the country. There prob
ably never will be q time when ali had
men, in all these relations. viii be en-
tirely eliminated and everybody ana
everything VIII be good. but fl can be
ruthfully said that there never was
since the beginning Of our government
time when. through the natural i'm
nrovement OF cur people and the natural
spread OF virtues among them. the no.
litical world ana the business world were
so little open 10 criticism and condemna-
ton as they have been during recent
years.
There never was q time when orr
people Of all classes were making greater
progress In the right direction than they
have been making during the last nfty
years. There never was a time In all
our history when there was so little oc-
caSiOn 10 put everybody I'm leading strings
as now There never was a time in
other words, when there was so little ex-
cuse as at present for the hectorjng and
lectuTlng anu threatening and rnenacfng
that have been INDUCED in Of the peopla
OF America and their business methods.
There never was a time when, indie
pendently OF this crusade against then,
there was a higher standard OF morals
than that which the business men OF the
United States have erected for them
selves. and never time when conform
ity TO il was so absolutely a prerequisite
10 success and high standing in the COM
mercial world. Everybody knows this
70 be true, and yet we have been listen
Ing 10 harangues and lectures and SIAN
ders poured out by the wholesale. as
though delighted with such uncalled-for
dispara cement. until patience has we'll
nigh ceased 10 he a virtue.
But continue patient yet little longer.
Such performances cannot be repeated
indefinitely. The dav cannot be FAR dis
tant when they viii be remembered only
with establishment that they should have
ever been tolerated by a self-respecting
people. The great duty OF the hour is TO
he sfeadfnst >,