The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1912-11-15

Now that the election is over and the
battle won, and that the shouting has
had time to subside into sigh of salts
faction and relief, let the minds eye Of
thoughtful Democrats, CHANGING from
heaven to earth, from earth to heaven,
body forth to the less thoughtful some
OF the giants and dragons which will
presently rise across the party's line OF
march to divide its counsels and OBJ
struct its progress.
They may seem just now to unrefiect-
ing and optimistic enthusiasm but airy
nothings, mere fragments of over
wrought, or Of prejudiced Imagination.
Yet are they real, and it will not re-
quire the poets pen to give to each his
form and presence; even to distinguish
each by tag bearing local habitaton
and name. History tells that after
Bull Run the victory disorganized the
Confederates almost as much as the de-
feat had demoralized the Federals. In
the long run, however, it was the Union,
not the confederacy, which reaped the
harvest This lesson should not be lost
upon Democrats.
The Democratic party out of the
two terms of Grover Cleveland got
nothing except agreeable interludes
from the monotony Of Republican
partyism. Woodrow Wilson is ADLER
and far more highly equipped
much better qualified to make a
really great Democratic President
than was Grover Cleveland. But
the obstacles which Cleveland had
to meet and overcome were foot
hills by comparison with the noun
tains already rising across the high
way that stretches out before Will
son.
Within Mr.. Cleveland's easy reach,
if he had known howto profit by them,
were men of the first order of intellect:
men trained to the responsibility of gov
eminent; men used to the affirmations
of public policies; men who had sat in
the high places of legislation and ad-
ministration. Mr.. Wilson will have to
rely for the most part upon discoveries
and creations of his own; political anna
tours new to political life; novitiates to
practical and large affairs. Barring
few members of the House-a few SEN
ators-having chiefly negative expert
ence, he will at once encounter in the
lower branch of Congress a top-heavy
majority, with possibly a divided lead
ership, and, in the upper, if support at
all, yet too close for comfort.
Public opinion is nowhere crystallized |
1t is in fluid state The historic issues
that erst divided parties passed from the
scene, the problems of the future but
arrived upon it, he who saddles anf
brides and successfully rides the mons
ter without a head called Democracy,
must be possessed of the gifts of the
nation-makers of old and in addition
be attended by the good fortune which
genius sometimes attracts and some
times compels.
II.
The objections which were generally
offered to Woodrow Wilson as a nom
inee-that he was rather schoolmaster
than statesman-if not tyrannous and
intolerant, yet tactless = incapable of
making common cause and working to
harness, and lacking high sense of
obligation = assuming them
founded in fact may, or may not,
show themselves to be weaknesses in
the elected President.
Upon the threshold he will have rough. |
work to do. 1t is safe to say the on
rush of office-hunters will surpass any
thing ever known before. A gentle,
kindly, grateful man would find him
self submerged beneath the cross-cur-
rents of sentiment and duty. 1t will
require the most obdurate of masters,
used to the disciplinary and ungracious,
10 resist the appeals, some of them real,
but most Of them spurious which will
echo through the living rooms of the
White House; which will assail him
during all his waking hours, and pur-
sue him in his sleep and dreams; morn
ng, noon and night never escape from
he mean and sordid and brazen in the
fank ignominy of seIf-seeking. He who