The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-24
ROOSEVELT IS most
UNSAFE MAN IN
POLITICS
Distinguished Nirginian Fires
Opening Gun of Campaign
at Auditorium
MAKES A BRILLIANT
CONVINCING SPEECH
Homely illustrations and His
Happy Local illusions
Lend Point to
Address

w Aic ltodI VI Lag Ting S~b s
for the meeting OF the city Demo-
cratic committee at the City Audi.
torium-arriyed last night the First
regiment band, arrayed in. lonely
grandeur on the stage, :iiscoursed
martial music, while out in front. In
bold relief against a sea of empty
seats sat, perhaps. two hundred
militant Democrats awaiting the ap-
pearanoe Of the man who was to fire
the first gun OF the campaign In Rich
mond.
Outside cold rain battered. In
side the prospect, so far as arousinS
enthusiasm" was concerned. WAS ;is \
jreary. and so the speaker found It.
Virginia Democrats, 1t would seem.
are taking the result as inevitabla
and are Indifferent TO efforts at
aroussslent. evan when past masters :
of oratorieai pyrotechnics come tfeif
way.
Get Late Start.
1t was about S:25 when Harry St.
George Tucker, followed by Chairman
Miles Martin and two members Of the
city committee. filed upon the ross
trum. Congressman Lamb en-
tered a moment later and Mayor
George Ainslie arrived after tbs
speaker was well under way.
faithful few were scattered about In
spots over the big auditorium, re-:
quested that they move up closer. both
for the benefit Of the speaker and
that they might keep Harnl= Nest
Of them complied. Then Colonel
.Martin, happily and briefly intro
duced his old schoolmate as "a man
who had carried the Democratic BAN
ner all over the United States" The
band played Dixie when Mr.. Tucker
arose. but the inspiring music didn't
arouse the gathering from its apathy.
From the start they gave Mr.. Tucker
the closest attention and occasional
applause that sounded like they were
afraid somebody would hear it.
Speaker Mt His Best.
Mr.. Tucker was at his best, un-
dismayed by the numbers or apathy
Of his, auditors. He was logical and
convincing, rising at times TO heights
OF eloauence. He devoted himself to
national issues entirely, told many
good stories to drive home his points,
and used homely but telling illus
sgations to simplify his argument.
He was gracfousness personified in
responding to his welcome to Rich
mond. and apologized to himself and
the city committee for the sparse an-
QiShCS, WHICH lie IAlQ al Tie uOOT ~
the distressing weather" But while
the audience is not as large as il
might be-" he said, Il congratulate
you who are here that you are afraid
of no rain except the reign of Re-.
publicanism.'
Once during his Introductory re-,
marks, when Thomas Downing. or
Lancaster county. marched upon the
stage. Mr. Tucker halted in the mid
die of a sentence to greet the new
conner with hello. Tom. and then
publicly introduced the Virginian to
the audience.
Mr.. fuckers only reference to the
third party was that it WAS the same
old coon with another ring to its tail
Roosevelt Unsafe Man.
He touched tenderiy on Roosevelt.
the "mteoric, wonderful man OF
genius laid low by an assassin's bui-s
let but added that he was the un-s
safest man that ever arose on the poo
litical horizon" etaoin shrdlushrd
He felt more like preaching a funeral
Grafton than making a political speech
he said. Everybody recognized that
the Republican party would be dead
and buried in two weeks. He had
been actively engaged in politics. he
said. since 1876. and in all the preSl-s
Dental campaigns of his experiences.
business had suffered until the pres
ent campa ign, He had just returned
FROM Pennsylvania, where he found
the big industries working full tfm0
and over time and with more orders
than they could fill. and the betting
there was four to one on Wilson.
Then he plunged into Logical
diagnosis Of Governor Woodrow Wis
I son and his policies. first taking up the
d rkG- h. II<SHs =
declared Is not organic. but funo-s
tional and compared il to q dose a.
casomel which was taken not to de-
stroy the liver. but to reform II whsa
1t needed reformation.
The Initiative and ReferenAun.
AN objection has been made az
Governor Wilson In some quarters
that he favors the Initiative and ref>
0rendum now, but as professor ~
taught the doctrine Of representative
government delivered to us BY tn
fathers, and that this change has bee0
made for political effect. / d0uh&
very much whether a man before No
tonight, fifteen years ago. when WIZ
son was a teacher. ever heard Or IL
initiative and referendum except I'd
d system adopted in a remote c0n4
| try or Europe but I am here f6
night to say that endorse WitsDnI
position on this subject, ~ On ~
others throughout. He uceH 0kx
| New York must take iii or hec4H1
| New Jersey does net need Il tf1o@
Kansas may not. but only that II
| people In amy state believe that IT, ~
| resentativs government han 641
| taken away from then ~ tho q Il@
| Estate.' or the invisible hA1l3.
| the Initiative and refeFese<