The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-11-03
THE SOBER SECOND THoueHT.

The presidential campaign rs draw
! ing TO a close and the voters of the
country are making ready 10 prepare
their ballots. There are all kinds OF
predictions being proclaimed as TO the
| thoughtful prophet OF election re-
suits. There has been much vain and
useless Boosting. and enough wind
wasted to furnish power equal to that
which the great Mississippi river Wa
i ter power dam will produce. but the
/, political cyclone OF wind and vltuper-
alton has about spent its force and
reason and common sense and COM
mon honesty are about to claim
their own. The great boasts are tam
ing down and the game OF bluff which
a few months ago was encouraged is
now being met by thoughtful men
with disgust This reaction comes
from the sober second thought. The
/ American people as a body can al
ways be trusted TO do the fair and
square thing. Exciting and threaten
i ing storms may arise at the begin
ming of heated campo gn, beating
i back reason and safe and sane judg-
ment. but as the great sober and
thoughtful masses approach the time
for action they will assume their nor
may wise and patriotic Judgment and
perform their duties as true and loyal
American citizens with love for coun-
Il try, its constitution, its laws, Its
best interests, as become the worthy
sons OF an illustri0us ancestry. The
United States are not ready TO become
Mexicanized and they are not going
TO be In this campaign of 1912
AS presidential election day was
approaching the people became rest
less and some of them even wild.
but the nearer comes the day, the
more thoughtful become the voters
and they see the dangers that beset
a man-worshiping nation, eady TO
act as the mob acts. regardless Of the
law and the best traditions OF the
grandest and greatest nation this
world has ever seen. You can fool
!, many OF the people up to the very
day before the election or even the
morning of that day but when the
/ time comes 10 place the little silent
) ballot In the box, there will come be-
) fore the conscientious voter who has
gone astray in the excitement of. the
: times. great vision of disaster that
: must surely follow a rash and reck-
less course disaster as Washington
3 and Jefferson and Lincoln and Nc
: kinley cautioned against, and he
: viii wisely retrace his erroneous po-
: litical steps and vote safe and sane
ballot, despite the windfests stirred
!, up by selfish and disgruntled politi-
clans, that have stormed about and
I deafened his ears TO reason
The American people are a people
to be trusted. They win not pursue
: wrong course-a phantom, over a
yawning precipice. For this reason
the people OF the country have become
+ more hopeful and cheerful over the
political outlook. They observe signs
OF the sober second thought taking
jcontrol of the minds and hearts of the
people.
: Every day for the past few month.
: the wild wave of one-man bossisn
and the worship OF selfish ambition.
I idols has been receding. Presideni
. TAFT has made tremendous gains in
: this time and VIII gain more rapid,
until the day OF the final contest. No
only viii he gain from the WANDERING
children OF the republican fold. bu
: democrats see the hand writing on III,
: wall which presages black disaste
and viii Join the safe and sane fol
: lowers Of President Taft. Thssl
I, democrats see IN the election of VII
: son triumph for William ]. Bryan
j one of the most exactfng and tyrani
/, cal bosses who ever commanded
: political faction; man who has bael
: thrice defeated as the presidential
:, candidate OF the party and who ha
Z been twice defeated in democratic con
: Yentioas for the presidential nornina
{. tons Beaten 70 frazzle in ever
Increment he made at the recen
democratic national convention a
Baltimore, he hobs up, through IN
grace and favor of Woodrow Wilson
!, Il this campaign as the chairman o
: ths democratic national advisory con
: uittee and everybody who know
Bran sloEs he Is wild. radical an
: dic1atozial and VII either have hi
!. way or wreck The party. or so hand
cap It's action thar it can make u
: progress for good Many democrat
{. " no rallied with a enthusiastic hui
ran fo- Wilson ~han he was frs
nominated. relieved OF the fear tha
: B-FaR might stampede the CONVEX
lioa and become the nominee fo
q which result he worked hard and !
:. persssts1tly. noE that Bryan Ia
. been given prominent campaign q,
:. -aority and Is embraced with fonde;
J. affection by Ut wilson. the dem,
: cratic presidential nominee. viii fle
!. from The red rag 10 the safe and CO,
:, seryatiye candidate. the candiaat
= vito has PLATED the old ship OF sta,
8 through touF prosperous vears Eitl