The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-23
TASK OF A DEMOCRAT PRESIDENT

TASK OF A DEMOCRAT PRESIDENT
 From the Jacksonville (Fla-) Times I Union.
 Senator Hoxe Smith of Georgia adyo- cates the nomination of Woodrow Wilson Tor specific reasons which may be con-
 sidered in a spirit of justice and in plain
 ianguageNWe do not oppose the nomina-
 ton of Governor Wilson when we critlcise l the propositions advanced in support of
 his candidacy, but we insist that the prin- ciples underlying the campaign of this year be clearly stated and the fitness of
 the man chosen to represent those princi-
 pies made manifest. The task before the 1 democracy this year is one of reconstruc- tion and, if we are to build again we
 must look to the foundations of the tenn
 pie rather than to the beauty of the col
 umns or the grace of the form.
 1 Senator Smith says Governor Wilson stands for "a square deal, for justice to all, and, at the same time. for gov ernment of law under the constitution" | Every good citizen in the land stands, for l these-Roosevelt claims that he does. It
 is claimed that under the administra- ] tion of Governor Wilson New Jersey has obtained pure election laws, intelligent su- pervision and regulation of public ser- l vice companies, legislation to promote | health and educational progress and many other measures of similar nature" We | have no wish to deny the value of Cover nor Wilson's services, but he could have given his state none of these without a democratic legislature, and it Is impossible to give presidential nomination to every fu11 of the good work. But Woodrow Wilson. as governor. played his cards so badly
 that his people are now denied the ser vices of a democratic legislature, and so they lose much they had confidently prom ised themseves-the general lacks some thing who fails to reap the full fruit of his victory. | Without denying the ability or the sub stantial services of woodrow Wilson 1t Is | only fair to ask whether we cannot find a l leader who has won greater distinction, has rendered higher services and stands I for principles and deeds whose need is
 more pressing; for qualities promising richer rewards to the whole country and l for devotion to the party attesting higher | qualities of leadership and direction.
 The country recognizes today that be- | hind the legitimate dissatisfaction now prevalent stands, first of all. the oppres- sive. iniquitous, unjust and wasteful tariff l legislation of the republican party Be- | hind the great campaign funds which have corrupted the government and the peo- | pie, behind those aggregations of wealth that have bought immunity for offenses against the law stands the tariff-behind
 the misuse of our financial system which permits the control of the man by the dol lar, stands the tariff wicked and un- fair method of taking from the many to enrich the few. The tariff is the leading issue this year and we have one demo- crat who represents, above all others the reform of the tariff rates, who has demon
 strated his sanity and his wisdom as ap- | piled to this leading issue-who has proved conclusivey that he has the special knowl- edge needed, the firmness to stand for his principles and the ability to set his proposition in most convincing form be- for the people. If the keynote of the democratic platform is to be tariff reform, | if the man deserves most who has best succeeded in educating all the people
 where others had most neglected the task; ] corspicuousy stands for the partisan doc ] Urine that should be held to the front in the battle now beginning. then Underwood
 of Alabama should lead the party rather | than Wilson of New Jersey, even though | he were born in Virginia.
 Second only to the tariff in importancel comes the need of putting in practice the | old democratic doctrine of a rigid, exact | and impartial enforcement of the law as | written. Standing with Underwood in his | views on the tariff, Harmon has made
 himself conspicuous for his position on | the enforc ement of the law without regard | to person or privilege. As a federal of | ilcia he was required by the President to | allow an indictment to fall because it was 1 aimed at member of the cabinet who | was a special friend of the President 1 Harmon replied that the indictment could l
 be sustained in court. that it was his duty to try the case, and If he were denied the | right to go into court his resignation could |
 be accepted We believe that Wilson or
 Underwood and many others would have
 done as much-the point is that Harmon
 did 1t. Many republicans can claim equal l devotion to the law-Harmon's record l showsh his devotion is not lip worship nor | the claim of an opportunist seeking votes.
 If the tariff be accepted as the leading | issue, Underwood should be the demo-
 cratic candidate, not because his views | differ from those of Wilson and liar
 mon, but because he has shown both his | faith and his work in practice, as neither 1 Harmon nor Wilson had the opportunity | to do. On the contrary, Harmon is sound l as Underwood on the tariff but he has l proved his uevotlon, his unselfish and un- | shirking loyalty to the law as the others l had not the opportunity to do; he has | demonstrated his ability to win and hold l influence in his state and the possession | of high qualities of leadership. As com | pared with Underwood and Harmon, Will | son is 8 fine theorist, q plausible and con | vincing speaker, but poor politician and | without the qualities of partisan leader l ship while he has not identified himself in ] actual work with either of the great ques- l tions about which the battle must be | fought.
 DAME VAN WINkLE'S TONGUE
 By Washington Irving.
 Rip Van Wrinkle, if left to himself. l would have whistled life away in perfect contentment; but his wife kept contln-