Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-11-01


were impatient to know the result II
seemed too long. But If you enjoyed
the fireworks 1t did not seem long
enough. In any event, 1t Is almost
over. We are in the short rows, as
the corn plowers used to say. Maybe
they saw so yet. I have not plowed
corn for so long do not know. Bet
ter get out the old tar barrel and
make ready for the bonfire. Some
body is going to do a lot Of jubilating
on the night of November s, and 1t
may be you.
Well, 1t has been a great fight. II
has educated the American people to-
ward new and higher ideals. We can
not lose all Of the lesson, however the
battle is decided. The campaign had
its tragedy, but even that Is turning
out we'll in the end. We have lot of
crazy people in this country, and some
of them get the hallucination that they
must shoot public men. Some day we
NAV take care Of our detectives and
lunatics so that they will not b,
menace. but until we do the remainder
of us may we'll refrain from violence
of word that may incite the weak
minded to violence Of deed. In this
case Colonel Roosevelt is mercifully
out of danger, and the edge OF bitter
ness has been taken from the cam
paign. Thus good comes out Of evil.
Old Landmarks Conc.
AS to the outcome there Is little even
now on which to base an estimate. II
is easy enough to guess at the result.
but what is the use? Everybody Is do
ing that and using up good paper ana
much atmosphere in the operation.
And paper and atmosphere remain the
es. In other words, the prophecies are
es. In other words. the prophecies are
sound and fury signifying nothing. 1t
is all right for campaign chairmen to
make predictions. That Is their ousi-
ness. But the rest Of us who have any
regard for accuracy may as we'll keep
out Of the game. All the old land
marks are down, and there is no way
to Judge. The only elections that
might indicate the trend were those
of Vermont and Maine, but the face
of the situation has largely changed
since they were held. AS for straw
votes, they are notoriously untrust-
worthy. The same is true Of polls
this year because there is such large
silent vote. There is no precedent
for this campaign, and the political
maps are out of date. Personally l
would not hazard a prediction. l
know how I want the thing to go, but
any forecast I might make would
simply mirror my wishes. And this,
I suspect, is the case with practically
all Of those who are making predic-
tions. No man knows which way the
1912 cat will jump. If any one tells
you he does know hand him a blank
application for membership in the
Annanias club.
In a last survey Of the field before
election there is only one great fact
that is certain. Any possible result
will mean a momentous change from
past political conditions. Few Of US
realize just how fast we have been
moving politically in the past few
months. AS to where we are bound for
or when we shall get there, he Is
wise man who can tell. 1--WE don't
know where we're going, but we're on
our way"
Beginning Of New Era.
Without being an alarmist, 1t Is my
private opinion that before we are
through we may wind up in socialism,
in a revolution, in near monarchy
in the millennium or most any old
place. 1t is my hope, however, that
out of 1t all may arise a new repub-
lie, or rather the old republic made
new, better and greater than before,
reba ptized, rededicated and redeem
ed.
Here is one other fact that is ap-
parent: This is no ordinary presi-
Dental election. 1t is the beginning
of a new era, and that will be found
true whoever happens to be elected
in this particular struggle. The old
conditions will never again be possible
There has been a psychological change
in the people that is none the less
vast because invisible. We have
passed a milestone and turned a cor
ner. We cannot go back.
For more than twenty years 1 have
watched national politics more or less
closely, sometimes from the inside and
again from the outside, now as work
er and then as newspaper writer
through the Populist movement, the
Bryan campaigns and the presidency
of Roosevelt, but never have l seer
the great masses of the people moved
so profoundly as now. The most Sig
nificant thing about 1t is that the
movement is confined to no section
or party The Populist uprising ano
the Bryan strength were limited large
ly to the west and south and did moi
Immediately influence the party II
power. The present upheaval is also
in the east and influences parties. II
Is the return of the wave, but vastly
increased in force and volume.
Concerning the result on Nov.
perhaps the best we can do Is to pre-
sent the claims of the various partie:
and form our own conclusions. Bet
ter have the salt bag handy
Claim Taft is Gaining.
The Republicans say that the drift
Is now toward President Taft. The
people have had time to take sobel
second thought, and every day !:
heard good news Of those returning
to the fold. Detailed figures are Civ
en- out of the states Mr.. Taft is ex
pected to carry. The president him
self is making no campaign speeches
but is writing articles and giving in
terviews stating his position. Chair
man H"lis is making statements anC
campaign arguments almost daily
and an army of spellbinders is charg
ing the foe, or. rather, the foes pre-