The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-01-03

StdnOlng "OfOS tlldt uS-
" scribe the ways and
- means the immediate
good, indeed, OF that progressive
popular government" Of which the re-
doubtable Colonel spoke the first time
he ventured to express himself after
the overwhelming defeat Of. his party,
both In the Nation and as personally
led by himself in New York. First
broken to the popular ear in this Re
public by Changers and Popullsts,
sockless and redolent Of Kansan at
mosphere, these words are now great
est in the bright vocabulary Of New
Nationalism, whose prophet boasts the
deep conservative blood Of the New
York Dutch founders. and was him
self stamped with HarWard's staid i'm
primatur; and from him they come
with authority. TO speak as We -may
of the Colonel, ho is all authenu-
cated-with q presidency, with Euro
pear kings concern, and with a pop
ular following that is nothing less
than a cult the Ike OF which Ameri-
can politics has never known; with
craft and brains. a grand physique
and indomitable egotism that are Ger
tain to bring him swift to the surface
In any deluge and well-uigh first to
shore. as wen~
And they are good words, well
spoken and timely, the best utterance
conceivable, and, under the circum-
stances. actually prophetic
So We are to at least realize the
dream-government of the people. for
the people and by the people-in other
words. progressive popular govern
ment,"- direct and at first hand. So
say the ex-President, and I believe
him. All our politics trend that way;
al our political theories have ever
trended that a now our politics SO
trend. 1t is. as they say. in the air.
The grand word now Is Direct" The
middle men in politics, the politicians,
are on the way up Salt River.
Government by caucus has gone.
Government by convention has gone.
Government by party must 60. And
with that going also go bosses and
grafters, but not demagogues. In such
a world some shape and sort Of evil
always hovers near. Parties will re-
main, of course. but they will not gov
ern. We must have them, but as
vehicles, not as riders. We will no
longer belong to this or that party.
The party will belong to us. The
party Will not govern: the people will
govern by means of the party, which
Is quite another matter, quite another
horse than that which has been riding
us these hundred years and more, all
the while convincing us that We We're
In the saddle and that the going was
fne. Moloch and Apollo are alike
impressed; the people are in their
chariots.
Such is the dream. 1t has been the
fablical dream these $500 years and
more, and a good dream. Neither
Roosevelt nor Plato FIRST dreamed it.
Nor is this the first age in which
prophets have declared it about to hit.
They said before. Surely it has now
come'-said 1t in Athens, said in
Rome. said in London, said in bloody
Paris. said in Philadelphia, and now in
OsaWatomie! Still let it lead us on
Still let us hold it impending. 1t is
a good dream. Without it this grand
.difhculty' of government would be all
dark: The only other dream, politically
speaking, is a midnight horror. Let
Us hold to the better dream. It is at
least worth while Anything rather
than the nightmare that we knew.
l am, therefore, for the next ex-
pertinent in this dream of govern
ment Of he people. Let the Colonel
call 1t Progressive Popular Govern
ment; let conservatives ~(so-caIed)
scoff at Initiative, Referendum Recall.
Direct Primaries: Corrupt Practices
Acts, ETC.. etc; and let the bosses
howl. L am for them each and every
one. And any object here is to sci
them forth as the next experiment in
the long-protracted effort to rea1ize
Government by the People. And in
order that I may not be misunder-
stood, permit me to go into the de-