Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1912-11-08
TRIE pROt.RESSINISN WINS.


the true progressiyes, the constructive
thinkers, the builders and not the an
nihilators of the American government,
Governor Woodrow Wilson swept
across these United States last Tues
day in a whrlwind of popular approval
greater even than that which buoyed
VI Roosevelt in the hcyday of his pop
uarity eight years ago, until he is TO-
day truly the most popular presiden-
tial candidate in the nations history.
TO be granted the largest number OF
electoral votes ever given preslden-
tial candidate, Republican or Dem
ocrat, in the nations history is an
honor that all men covet and only
Wilson has attained. 1t illustrates
not only his eminent fairness, his high
qualities for the Office, the great regard
in which he is held, but it marks some
thing greater than the man himself:
lew era for the American people.
For in him they see the instrument
for the fullfillment of those desires,
some still perhaps vague but neverthe
less in their minds urgeTt, those aims,
those manifold demands for change.
for true constructive progress that have
stimulated the spirit of political unrest
that has stirred this country during
recent years. They watched what he
did in New Jersey, they saw how he
alone of the several Democrats aspir-
ing to the nomination stood out boldly
for the people in the preliminaries to
the Baltimore convention; they saw
his aides. energetic, ambitious, broad
minded, unselfish young man, most of
hov hor ri VII
ious fight in that convention.
Then they saw the candidate him
self upon the platform, heard his
speeches, read his utterances, discern
ed his eminent fairness, his construc-
tive thinking, his desire to build, to re.
form rather than to destroy their gov
eminent, and believed him when he
pointed out the way he intended to
follow, the policies he would adopt
and endorsed them.
Woodrow Wilson's victory is great
personal victory for himself, the great
est that has come to any presidential
candidate, but it is still greater vic
tory for the people of these United
States from whose hands, through in.
difference, ignorance, perhaps, and
many other ways the reins of gov
eminent had been drawn into the
hands of a favored few. But it is
above all great victory for that party
which has been progressive for the lasC
16 years, which has aimed to bring
about these things for the American
people, which has pointed out the way.
given warning as the evils grew
stronger, and has been a party for the
whole people and not special few.
Wilson's election presages the dawr
of another EZRA of good feeling" when
the bitterness and the rancor, the ego
tism and the demagogism of politics
of recent years will be replaced with
q soberer, steadier, more consistent
and constantly constructive govern
mental program. Through the din,
the vituperation, the vifiiffcation and
the abuse of this most bitterly fought
presidential campaign in the nations
history, his figure, his utterances and
his politics stood out and above the
others, a man who sought the Office
not for selfish ambition but for the
good he believed he could do his peO-
pie, who feared not to champion their
cause. to state his position clearly and
uneQuivocally, without malice and
SANDER.
1t marks the downfall. too, of the
premier egotist and hypocrite of AM
erican history, man once the idol Of
his people, twice the recipient of their
highest gift. Doubtless it is bitter
pill to his overwhelming eg0tism, but
It is an absolutely deserved one. In
sincerity, bluff. hypocrisy and deceit
will be discovered soon or late-the
great wonder is that Theodore Roose
welt was able to get away with it as
long as he did.
His miscalled progressive" party
will go down with him in this defeat.
1t had but one cause for existence
he himself-and that has been elimi-
mated from American public life per
manently, we hope. The true progress
sive party, not the party of demagog
ism, of chicanery, of insincerity, of the
utmost hypocrisy, of deliberate lying
and Misrepresentation, but the party
which represented all the people, is
now gifted with the conduct of the
American government, and will con-
duct that government according to the
will Of all the people and not the whims
of one mans personal ambition.
It is the greatest victory the Amer
lean people have won for years. 1t
means more for them, their progress
and their government, for the read
justment of their governmental diff
culties. for the re-alignment of their
business so the aims of true democ-
racy can be gained for all as well as
for few, than we may think in the
first flush of that victory. The change
y,o,,ct <,f pococcifv no rod,,oI hrt II will
be constructive-every move will
count for much.
1.-THE reason that l feel justified in
appealing to the voters of this country
to support the Democratic party in this
critical juncture in its affairs is that
the leaders of neither of the other
parties propose to attack the problem
of a free government at its heart"
said Gov. Wilson in his last message
to the American people before election
day. Neither proposes to make a
fundamental change in the policy Of
the government with regard to tariff
duties. 1t is with both of them in re-
spect of the tariff merely question of
more or less, merely a question of lop-
ping off little here and amending a
little there; while with the Democrats
1t is question of principle. Their
object is to cut every special favor
out, and cut it out just as fast as it
can be cut out without upsetting the
business processes of the country.
Neither does either of the other parties
propose seriously to disturb the SUI
premacy of the trusts. Their only
remedy is to accept the trusts and reg
ulate them, Notwithstanding the fact
that most of the trusts are so con-
structed as to insure high prices, be-
cause they are not based upon effici-
ency but upon monopoly. Their sue
cess lies in control. The competition
of more efficient competitors, not load
ed down by the debts created when
the combinations were made, would
embarrass and conquer them. The
trusts want the protection of the gov
eminent, and are likely to get it if
either the Republican or the so-called
Progressive" party prevails.
Surely this is a cause. Surely the
questions of the pending election.