The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-13
CURRENT COMMENT


4
| War on the Bosses.
Ne one who has followed Woodrow Wilson's
uolitical career closely could have had any
doubt what the governors attitude toward tne
candidacy of Jim Smith for the senate wouio
/ be- Smith represents everything In politics inat
Wilson does not He was senator HoH
Hayemeyer" when In the Senate before. he
ia tyne of boss that is wilson's especial detes-
| tation that Wilson has been fighting as lar
| hack as 1896 as Mr.. Henry W. Williams re-
called in his letter to The Evening Sun yes
terday. His methods have been as bad as VII
sons have been unquestionabie And so the
governors vigorous statement printed yester.
| day morning was inevitable.
Yet there were some Of Mr.. Wilson's political
| opponents who predicted that he would not dare
| to assault Smith now as he did when the latter
was candidate for the Senate two years ago
! Then, they said, the governor had a case whicn
enabled him to appear to be not opposing smith
personally, but only upholding the direct pri-
mary law of the State Then, they said. sig
nifcantly, he was not candidate for the presl-
dency. Then he had the legislature in posi-
! ton where he knew he could beat II; now
he runs the risk Of being beaten himself. And
so
| Wilson at this moment is peculiarly in posi-
ton where the maintenance OF the status quo
is all that is necessary to insure for him a
triumphant victory. Things are very har-
monioHS at present IN his party, WHtle the oi-
posing party is split in two, If everything Is
kept sweet and no antagonisms are bred, vic.
tory is certain cheapspirited prudence
would have dictated passive attitude on the
governors part as to Smith.
For there Is more than Smith to this contro-
versy and other States than New Jersey are In
volved. The assault on Smith will be recog-
nized as an assault on all bosses. notifca-
ton that Wilson has part or parcel with
them The old story of Smiths support Of VIII
son when the latter was candidate for gov
ernor and his alleged ingratitude to Smith
after he became governor is sure to be revived.
and far as the machine politicians are able
| to do so. we may be that they will use
| 1t to Wilson's disadvantage.
AS to that story the facts are clear. Smith
did support Wilson for governor; he gave him
the nomination, in fact, but he did it because
he needed a candidate who could win and vii
son complied with the specifications. He evil
IDENTIFY counted being able to control Wilson
after election. That Wilson appreciated this
situation inclined to believe from the
manner In which he conducted his campaign for
governor. Il am my own man." he said in
effect over and over again during that cam
paign. IF am elected, am going to be my
| own boss and going to be the leader of
my party in the State. If You don't want me
! on those terms. don't vote for me-
Here was language aimed directly at Smith
and yet Smith did not Withdraw his support
He took a gamblers chance on Wilson's proving
greenhorn. and he lost his bet. II he had
been as good a sport many OF his breed
he would have paid up like a man. he would
have headed a Wilson delegation to the Demo-
cratic convention instead of sending down his
four delegates to fight Wilson in every way
they could. But he no better sport than
he was senator, and his one purpose in life
in recent months has been to get back at
the governor
We may be sure that Wilson realized all
this before he made the statement printed yes
terday morning. He knewZthat- his words
would be taken as serving notice on ali the
bosses and that 10 what he meant them to
do. His comment on Straus' nomination in
New York the other day indicates that he
will be just as frank with Mr. Murphy as he
has been with Mr.. Smith IL the former ar
tempts to name dscreditable ticket in New
/ York. He has M symnathy with the bosses
"r bossism and Is willing to have the fact
known
| 1t takes brave man and a man sure Of HIS
ground to make a stand like this Yet in the
end we do not think 1t will work to wilson "
disadvantage The people want bravery and
they want sincerity and straight thinking We
nave faith that for every vote lost to WiIson Nv
reason OF this declaration of war agaips, Tho
t bosses he will gain-one and perhana two =
Baltimore Sun
! - Wise Caution .~~~ so~-~vs,s
IN New York--The stranger ertaraa- a.,
| Dank and approached fba ra.~o-. "'N