The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-11-05

n local question as General Hancock had
fatuously termed il. Then. as now. the Repup
ncan party had extended the protective principle
to include the practice of private pelf Of public
necessities The nation shuddered with an econ
omie conyuls!on Il turned TO the Democracy
for relief Then AS now the administration
sunk beneath the weights of special privilege
which II had strung about its own neck.
We predict that the election of 1910 will point
the way to 1912. surely as that OF 1890 prepar
ed the way for 1892 A sweeping victory a, the
polls in the Congressional contests will have re-
suits which TWO years will be powerless to re-
verse. The administration will have had sentence
passed upon It. with execution only deferred. Mr.
Taft will have ceased 10 be a political potential
it, There will remain MIR Roosevelt as the
Republican hope-a hope denied by the hun
dreds en- thousands of the ri, mbers of his own
party who hold for him fear and distrust even
greater than is felt by the Democracy. once
more powerful and militant
Rear in mind the cycles Of politics. aud ii be
comes evident that the wear 1912 in the event
Of Democratic success will afford parallel oil
conditions with Il change in the cast, with the
year 1896. For different reasons, but to the
same effect President Cleveland had smashed
the great pa riy machine which he had done so
much to build up and coordinate. In the face
of his loyal faction the disorganized remnants
fell into the hands OF the then radical Bryan,
In spite of the innovation OF the "whirlwina
campaign which Roosevelt has since perfected,
the result was never really in doubt. The
dan
with what ii conceived to he self protection
The analogy a. this time is apparent Taft
Is not remotely a Cleveland, but he has in Roose-
welt an emphasized Bryan. After the repudia
tion which Taft will receive at the hands OF the
country on Tuesday, Roosevelt-no matter what
the result of the New York eleetion--will be
inevitable If, as all things point al present
la New York, MIR. Roosevelt shall suffer de
esive defeat in his State he will he as i'm
possible as a successful az he will be certain .,s
a defeated candidate
So 1t seems that the situation shapes itself
toward political revolution But II must be re
membered that revolutions are effective only
in so far they tend TO establish as accom-
piished fact the principles upon which they are
predicated The impending Democratic revolu
ton has AZ its handspring the popular resent
ment against dishonesty in politics and in legis
lation. II Is directed at the impersonal prin
eiplc of the tariff in its personal Application IL
individual hardship. 1t is fearful OF specia
privilege crowned king the one hand. an
personal Dictatorship graspng at crown OF
4
reaction awaiting disappointed hopes depend
entirely upon whether the Democracy will ii
/ the next two years profit by the memory of it
! own and its opponents mistakes whether
having won great victory for political morals
it shall again permit itself to listen To the voic
of specious pleading tempting it away from it
duty and to forgetfulness OF it's promise and it
/ mission.
But this is tine Of hope made tangible b.
/ confidence, Virginia should take its place In tn
advancing demonstration. II needs Demo
trict. Ii needs to resent Cannonism in practice
even when it is Rooseveltsm by profession.
needs with the impulse of every possible balo
to assert its ancient faith. it's present determ
4 nation This is time Of national upheava
and reform. The individual opportunity in tb
Democratic ballot on next Tuesday will be tina
of the man who. with a pebbe-cast sends hi
ripple 10 the shores OF time