Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-12-11

on Saturday evening Mr. Frank Moss
made a speech at the Young Republic
can club, IN which he discussed the re-
cent disaster to the Republican party
MI. Moss speech was illuminating,
not perhaps so much on account Oh
what he meant. but at least on account
Of what he said
Mr.. Moss spoke with sorrow Of the
great detection of the radical or popular
vote from the Republican party at the
late election.
lie paraphrased the farmers dcscrip-
ton Of an automobile. and said that the
Republican party reminded him of
pair of pants walking down the street
without anything inside Of them.
Then Mr. Moss continued his speech,
and in the course of it made another
noteworthy remark. He said that he
did not believe in the recall of judges,
and the reason that he did not approve
Of this idea was because he did not be
lieve in turning the courts over to
mob rule
There is a lesson in these two para
graphs Of Mr., Moss speech which Mt
Moss teaches to the discerning, but
which he himself and most Of the Re
publican leaders seem too obstinate and
opinionated to recognize, even in the
face of the educational experience OF
the recent election
why does not Mr. Moss realize that
there may be a very definite connection
"a certain cOnsecutiveness of cause
and effect-between the two paragraphs
in his speech?
Why can not Mr.. Moss see that the
reason there are no popular legs in the
pants" Of the Republican party is be-
cause of the unpopular, un-Republican
un-American actions and opinions and
expressions Of the leaders Of the Re
publican party?
Perhaps it is useless to attempt to
approach or affect the mind of the old
fashioned reactionary Republican. That
mind is hard set in the grip of his pref
udices. 1t Is like the skeleton of some
extinct animal buried in the. stratum
of q geological period that is past. II is
like one of the fishes hidden in the
darkness of the Mammoth Cave-a fish
which has been so long without light
that it has lost the means Of detecting
light If ever ray should reach it.
But Young Republicans have as yet
the eyes to see and the ears to hear,
and 1 would like to place before them
some plain facts in contradiction of
Mr.. Moss sentiments.
The initiative, the referendum, the
recall, direct primaries and the other
items Of the Progressive program are
only exercised in practice through the
political expression of the will of the
majority, and the majority of the Amer
lean people is not mob and majority
rule is not mob rule.
The whole government of this Ameri-
can nation is based on the principle OF
majority rule and the whole of major
ity rule is based on confidence in the
wisdom and intelligence and patriotism
Of the mass OF the people.
If you, Mr.. Moss, and many other Re
publican leaders, consider majority rule
mob rule you naturally hesitate tC
allow a majority Of American citizens
the same control over their public prop.
| eftN ana PUBIC employees tnat all IN
dividuals are allowed in their private
| business
Therefore you object to the referen.
| dunn and the recall
| If you Republican leaders believe tha
| the majority is a mob and that ma
! ioTity rule is mob rule you naturally
object to a free expression of this ma.
| jority rule in the nomination of YOU
| candidates
Therefore you oppose direct nomina.
J tions and popular primaries.
Therefore you hold packed conven.
! lions.
Therefore you nominate men that the