The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-30
TUESDAY. JULY 30, 1912.
HASTE AND THE MESSAGE.

HASTE AND THE MESSAGE
We hope that Governor Wilson's speech of
acceptance will justify the Importance he so
evidently attaches to It. 1t Is really the de-
.liyerance that. up to this time In his career
holds most significance In 1t be will set forth
confession Of faith for himself. and. for the
purposes of this campaign, for his party. It
was his judgment that for the accomplishment
OF this work he needed the aid OF silence and
of secrecy. he wished to get away from the
demands that beset busy man. He desired
10 avoid distractions and invite his soul and
his mind to the task The responsibility Of the
feb eTiaeatiy- Weighed HFea him. We hope
that Governor Wilson knows himself better
than an ordinary. working knowledge Of men
would lead us to know him.
That is to say. that there is such thing as
too much time Likewise It is to say that
most OF the work that is best worth doing is
done under conditions where the man who per
forms it throws 1t from him IN disgust be-
cause it had 10 be done. and because he did not
have time to do it right" The cry for time
is the cry that goes up daily from millions of
busy men. But there are comparatively few
of them who stop TO consider that-it is this
very stress OF circumstance. this very CALLING
necessity OF production, that gives the high
tension that in most cases, makes good work
possible
There is stimulus about the JOB that beck
ors an hour, day. week ahead that can
not be supplied IN the case Of one that awaits
the hour that never comes. Lazness Is not so
much q matter of habit as of opportunity. By
the same token. energy is not so much quail
t'y of temperament it is OF stress. Outside
those works Of life that may be called minia-
tires where patience is the supreme qualifca-
ton the big productive things, the gripping
things. come about because they have to be
done by the men who have to do them, Get
down 10 the facts IN the case of those naughty
authors who produce one book in two years,
ard you will probably find that every book they
have done that is worth while has been written
in six weeks Of sixteen hours work day. The
balance OF the two years generally goes to
vague posngs and contemplations like the
bandarlog. OF the wonderful things they are
going to do-when they get started.
Admitting that one week is a short enough
while for the Democratic candidate TO devote
To the preparation Of his initial speech of the
campaign. would be more certain OF the
result had it been composed with the band play
ing on the lawn, the bell ringing at his elbow
The fever of haste in his fingers and the devi
II worry in his head,
Men are affected by their surroundings, and
the candidate who would touch the people to 4
fighting spirit has better chance when he
hears the growl of the crowd, than when he
imagines 1t in the quiet immensties OF sum
mer ocean.
We are willing To trust, Woodrow Wilson. be
sond most men. with how and when he can dc
MS best work Until he proves otherwise by
the work Itself. we nevertheless would rather
trrst TO thing that came hot from the bat OF
confict,-even annoyance,--than. as the result
OF leisurely iucubration in the cool OF the high
seas The one production, in average circum-
stances, is far more apt TO bristle with bnrrs;
but the other for its polish, is even more apt
to slip apprehension instead OF transhxing 1t