The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-11-07
Taft Given the Cold Hand.

Taft Given the Cold Hand.
That despairing wall at Chicago
was clear indication that President
Taft was not pleased with the result
of his trip out west, from which he
had just returned when he admitted
in a speech at Chicago that the Re-
publican party might be defeated in
the next presidential election. AS a
matter of fact the President had
been given the cold hand wherever
he went, and he felt bad about it.
Take California for instance. 1t IS
admitted by Republicans themselves
that in her recent election California
administered the most impressive re-
buke ever received by a Republican
President from a Republican State,
when that State voted as It did on the
initiative, referendum and recall, the
latter including the judiciary.
Vice President Sherman in COM
menting on the President and the
California incident, is quoted as say
ing that he felt that the adoption by
California of the newer ideas, such as
the recall, at the very moment the
President was out on the coast, indi-
Gated that the Republicans may look
for trouble in the next campaign.
eve have felt and hoped" said he,
"that California was solidly for Pres
ident Taft and all Of his ideas, and
this recent election gives US a new
light. President Taft's message up
on the recall will be found to be one
of the great state papers Of our gov
ernment. It will stand as master
piece in craftsmanship, and the prin-
ciples enunciated therein will be
found as time passes on, to be as
sound as any ever given to the people.
That his ideas were not accepted by
the people of California shows mark
ed disaffection, which think all reg
ular Republicans will deeply regret.
Governor Johnson, Of California,
took direct issue with Mr.. Taft, who
alluded to the recall of judges as the
law of the mob. In his speeches
Johnson asked "who are the mob?
That's the question I've been asking
ali along the line, and that's what I
can't find out. Mob indeed; we are
all the mob. AS used by our Presi-
dent it means a great division of the
electorate that is not fit to govern;
that is fit to be ruled by another
smaller class, a governing class. If
we've reached that condition we've
reached crisis in the history of free
government. But we've<not reached
il and that sort of talk arises from in
dividual egotism and is survival of
traditions from the old days when
you had to crawl before power. The
very first requisite of the recall is
that it touches not only the govern
or and the legislator but the judici-
ary as well and makes this judiciary
responsive to the people.
II reverence and respect the courts
just so long as they deserve respect
and reverence, and no longer, and
that's the only kind of respect that
can be paid any man in our govern
ment.. When you create a class to
govern in this country just that in
slant you violate fundamental prin-
ciple on which we founded this gov
ernment and you strike a blow at lib
erty itself. It's survival of the old
worship of power. The rabble and
the mob! We're all the rabble and
the mob in this country, and the pres
ent design of the government Of this
state is that you shall all participate
in it." That is the way the Republi-
can Governor of California talked
with the Republican President In the
State feeling the political pulse. That
was not all. AS soon as the people
Of California got chance at the bal
lot box they endorsed what their gov
ernor had said by adopting the re-
call by vote of over three to one.
After this direct slap in the face by
the Republican State of California, do
you wonder that the President feels
shaky on his political legs and sees
defeat staring him in the face?