The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-11-20


vi ILL., MS character is ripened and
all ms own. Sprung from a race Of
| scholars and thinkers, he has from bis
cradle played with books. devouros
'hem, written them a publicist learn
[ ed In the schools; politician. ast,ts
| acute ana up TO date; pon,,yar
speaker OF the modern type, at once
eHective aud attractive. The opnor-
tunity before him is resplendent. the
pitfalls many and deep.
What be will do with Congress re-
mains to be seen. What Conpress
Will do to him remains to be seen.
Democracy needs a jefferson TO in
itiate, Jackson to execute. How
many OK the swan songs Of the cam
palgn can be translated into statute
law! What rival ambitions NAV take
the field at first under cover and then
In the open to confuse and thwart his
highest aims? Shall he find a Ber
tonian tower of strength. in the SEN
ate, as Jackson, with men like James
*. Polk and Franklin Pierce and
James Buchanan, Andrew Stevenson
and Richard NJ. Johnson in the lead?
Hickory?
Time alone will tell us. His nomi-
hation and election look very like a
destiny. The times need a man: they
need shoolmaster; they need an
academician; they need one who
who knows and can discriminate; who
sees and can do; who is honest and
not afraid Roosevelt had some great
qualities. No doubt Of that. But
Roosevelt is yet a boy. He is boy
crazy after birds nest it is not good
for him to have. Events will show us
what Wilson is
Meanwhile the Republican party is
dead. It's leaders with Taft at their
head may not think so; but it is as
dead as door nail. AS the institu-
ton of African slavery killed the old
Democratic party has the protective
tariff system killed the modern Re-
publican party.
Like slavery, protection laid in false
economic theories is untenable 1t
mas outstayed its welcome. The
American manufacturer will find pro-
lection Chinese wall, as the South
ern planter found slave labor brok-
en- reed. The vast income required by
the government to be got through The
custom house will upon a fairly ad-
| Justed revenue tariff furnish the man.
| uIacturers all the protection they
could ask against their foreign COM
petitors, who have to cross the seas
20 bring their wares to market
1t Is inevitable that the Bull Moose
party, under the leadership Of Rooae-
Welt, will swallow what is left worth
having of the Republican party. BY
the advent OF Wilson and the Democ-
racy the Bull Moose becomes the
party of protest. Slowly, but surely
all the elements of discomfort will
gather about it. While Wilson is Civ
ing the people the marble heart" of
enlightened, practical and orderly sd
ministration. Roosevelt will be giving
them the song and dance Of Armag-
gedon.
Take ut of The Democratic partv
the "Progressives,' as they call them
| selves, and join them to the Progress
slVes' who rally TO Roosevelt. and no
man can predict the state Of the conn
try and complexion of Congress. AS
Wilson strives to fulfil the promises
OF the Democratic platform and to
meet the requirements Of national
progress will the standards Of Pro-
gressivism be raised.
by 1916 it will be contest be-
tween the possible and the impos
sible in government, complicated bv
Democratic factionism and the ghost
or Republicanism, unknowng or un-
willing to admit that it is dead.
The Bull Moose propaganda is a re-
llslous cult, not a political program.
The one tangible thing embodied bv
1t in the campaign just ended was
thlrd term for Theodore Roosevelt.
That could only mean life tenure and
an absolute autocracy The conten-
ton that it would not Mcxicanize the
government and Diazify the Presi- |
ueh'y IS the milk and water which |
conspiracy employs To dupe the i'm |
mature and credulous.
That the Zcalots Of the woman sur- !