The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-05-19
LEST WE FORGET"

LEST WE FORGET"
Even permitting the republicans
themselves to be judges, the democ-
racy is on it's way to victory in the
fall elections. The most benighted
partisan must admit it is highly prob
able that a democratic majority will
organize the next house of represent
atives. 1t is, in fact, so far certain
that we can we'll afford to drop for
moment the conventional language
of political enthusiasm and face, in
seriousness and sobriety, the re-
sponsibility SO soon to be thrust upon
us. For there are two facts we can
not ignore, except at our peril
The speech of partisanship ascribe
all wisdom to itself and all folly and
faulty to it's adversaries; in it's
phrases, the great day of a partys
life is election day, and the victory
of the ticket means the salvation of
the country. We all know how far
the truth is from all this There are
mixtures of purpose and ability in
all parties; election day is often for
the victors-as with the republicans
in 1908-but the beginning of sor-
rows. The winning of elections is a
small matter; the great thing is the
carrying out of pledges.
When the democracy carries the
congressional elections next fall it
will not carry them on the tenets of
its platform alone. The republicans
saw the handwriting on the wall two
years ago and promised downward res
vision of the tariff; and in matters of
conservation, the regulation of trans.
poraation and the control Of abuses,
Of corporate power the ayowed posi-
ton of the two parties is much the
same. But the republicans have not
moral powEr enough to give the
country the things which they prom
ised; the nation will turn to the
democracy to get precisely the things
it vainly hoped to realize from the
vote of 1908. The republicans having
come to the democratic position on
the tariff, so far as promises are con-
cerned, the contest is based upon
confidence in moral power rather
than on opinion.
Now the other great fact is that
the opportunity to execute the man
date given by the people when they
60 to the polls next November will
not come at once. Even if demo-
cratic majority is elected it cannot
organize the house until December,
1911, unless President Taft should
decide to convene a special session
at an earlier date, as he did in case
Of the present congress. Political
revolutions move slowly under the
peculiar check of the Federal consti-
tuition, and the process of transfer
ring the government from one party
organization to another is matter
involving months of delay. The most
radical upheaval would only suffice
to bring a democratic house thirteen
months after the election, while the
limit of possibility in the senate
makes change of control there i'm
possible before March, 1912.
But the American people will not
wait this long for democracy to prove
it's fitness for power. Before it can
be on trial. AS soon as the house is
organized with democratic speaker
the hour for action will have arrived
and by the time the first session of
the Sixty-second congress has adj
journed the country will have made
up it's mind exactly what measure OF
confidence democracy is entitled to;
and it will have formed it's opinion
mainly upon the character of the
men in the lead in the lower house
The use they make of their power
the extent to which they make neces
sary legislation possible by cooper
alton with the senate and the execu
tive, above all the shape they give
to the measures which come from
their hands-these things will guild,
the country's future choice If tn,
senate proves reactionary the hous,
will be shaping bills which it know
will never become law, and the temp
tation to pander to cheap popular
ity will be strong. But if it fall be
fore them the country will know an,
mark the fact.
4 Now it will be easy to be electe,
, to congress on the democratic tickle
this fall and shOrt-sighted politician
will therefore crowd each other TO
, the nominations. Party leader
: should see to it that only the bes
) and brainiest men are placed O.
guard-that facile success be no
5 permitted to throw away the oppo1
| tunity of the party. Democratic cor
) gressmen must remember the differ
: ence between criticism in oppositio
and the shaping of measures which
) though they fail of passage, vii
rightly be accepted by the countr
5 as measuring the power Of tn
democracy for constructive legisls
i ton. This is no time for loose tai
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