The Washington herald., 1912-02-25

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elected President Even to-day Mr..
Taft has strengthened himself by ap-.
pealing to the solid and substantial ele--
ment of the country. II is this factor
in our national life which has gwen
us our stability and insured our national
growth.
At the same time, it does not seem
possible that the movement toward
larger democracy is to die away. The
people who have assumed power, whd
now decide for themselves, directly and
individually, who shall be their United
States Senator's, and who proceed
themselves to enact laws which their
Representatives in the legislatures fail
to give them, will not willingly Srelin-
quish one iota of their ncw-found
authority. On the contrary, they will
demand more, and those who have hith-
erto been backward in assuming power
will assert themselves. Nor will it do
TO decry the movement and insist that
the country is in danger of mob rule.
The American people were never
blessed with such widespread intelli-
gence or such keenness of conscience as
they are to-day. Neither must we for
get that in the very beginning of our
history the spirit of independence and
liberty which actuated Samuel Adams
and Patrick Henry was condemned by
many honest souls as the outburst Of an
ungoyernable passion. The patriotic
citizens who threw overheard the tea
in Boston Harbor, as an evidenee of
their determination to be free and in
dependent, were entirely too progressive
to please those who were thoroughly
satisfied with British rule.
1t has been said that Roosevelts ad-
dress will split the Republican party.
Unless all signs fail, unless this move
ment toward pure democracy is mere
ebullition of temporary sentiment the
Republican party will not be the only
organization which will eventually feel
the dividing effect of the important
questions which are now stirring the
American people. The Democratic
party will find at its Baltimore conven-
ton that the delegates-practically of
one mind on all other matters of public
concern-will be ranged into conserva-
tives and progressives. The candidates
will be judged by their relation to the
problems which are to be solved.
Bryan rent his party in twain because
he was too advanced in his views; be-
cause, among other things, he dared to
utter some views regarding the United
States Supreme Court which were tame
and innocuous as compared with the
present-day condemnation of some of
the courts.
So that, in the last analysis, the ap-
preaching campaign will be fought in
both parties between the conservatives
and the progressives. The men who,
like Alexander Hamilton, believe in the
Intelligent minority" will be ranged
with the conservatives, and those who
advocate the largest degree of respon-
sibiIity and action on the part of the
people-eyen to the recall of judges
will be found with the progressives. 1t
would not be surprising If this year the
shackles Of party affiliation rest more
loosely upon the people than ever be-
fore. The independent vote is con-
stantly increasing, and it is constantly
encouraged by the secret ballot. On
issues that vitality affect each indi-
vidual's relation to the government
under which he lives, the temptation to
vote according to his judgment and
conscience will be strong enough to
wean him away from party ties.
Beside this all-absorbing question OF
how far We are to depart as 4 nation
from the traditions and methods of our
forefathers, the contest between candi-
dates seems trivial and unimportant II
is struggle, however, which is grow
ing more interesting as the time for
holding the national conventions ap-
proaches, and is already reaching the
stage of personal rancor. In the Re
publican party the lines are being tightly
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