The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-15
MONDAY, APRIL /, 1912.
THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING"

However We may view the result and what
ever me may think OF the voters who contri-
buted to II, the victory OF Colonel Roosevelt in
Pennsylvania is not TO be whistled down the
wind. Uowsmuch II may mean, whatever it 10
significant of. 1t reflects a surprising popular
temper Pennsylvania is no wild and woody
West. II is no State given over to the habit
Of Mysteries. Its politicians. especially It's Re-
publican politicians. have been for years con-
seryatives of conservatives The machine was
thought TO be impregnable. The administra-
ton was thought TO be unassaiable. Roose-
yeIt recall OF judicial decisions and all.
has utterly smashed the one and thoroughly
Eumiliated the other!
II is futile to attempt to minimize such
event. and worse than foolish to try to explain
it away. In spite of himself. Roosevelt re-
tans his popularity. What happened in Penn
sylvana fash in the pan. 1t was the
real thing" Its effect in the creation OF
sentiment and in the making of political his
tory may well be enormous. Following
the heels OF the defeat in Illinois. Mr.. Tafts
managers may we'll begin TO speculate whether
they are not in the path Of what may az any
moment become stampede.
The situation as to Republican delegates
@: course remains technically unchanged.
There is neither time opportunity for
enough States TO hold primaries TO enable the
Roosevelt sentiment 10 win a majority in-
structed in his favor. But If there are other
incidents like the PENNSYLVANIA primaries; If
city and rural districts alike continue to Join
hands in the Roosevelt interest, tho Chicago
convention will be faced with a situation where
II viii have the choice of counting certain de-
feat or entering upon what would be stirring
fight. In such crisis, both politics and COM
mon justice would demand that Mr.. Taft be
abandoned. Even against its will. the majority
in such case would enlist under the banner
OF the man In whom rested hope, however
desperate
After all. Mr. Roosevelt TO the contrary and
however much the isolated instances of boss
and machine rule may tempt 10 despair. just
such remarkable examples that of Penn
aslyania show that the people do rule. The
Roosevelt campaign has been waged upon tho
broad theory OF that right. He has shouted
fraud has played the demagogue; he has gloat-
ed over every victory and denounced every
defeat as the result. not OF popular opinion,
but Of machine corruption. He is now an
swered, because in the State whose machine
supposed to be most effective OF all, the
people have declared for him. II the Pennsyl-
sania primaries prove one thing better than
another, ii IL that conditions are not In the
desperate state OF moral health that Mr.. Roose-
,elt has been declaring they are.
If Mr.. Roosevelt is nominated and the Dem
ocratic convention prove wise. the campaign
OF 1912 will be OF character TO be as mem
orable and decisive as either that Of Lincoln
against Douglass. or Mckinley against Bryan.
The issues will be broad and human and fun
damental. In fact. there will really be the one
issue or whether popular government is to lei
one man direct It what to do, or whether II
will find liberty within purview OF the law.
There will be a new alignment OF conservative
and radical--the conservatives contending for
those doctrines Of Democracy lately called
radical; the radicals following with blind pas.
sion man whose principle Ia regulated only
BY his ambition: whose policy II bound UP
within the demagogy OF his audacity. In this
free expression Of the popular will. and that
such a verdict will fall to the side OF reason
and Of Justice. rather than TO that OF passion
and. pasc. In the mass al Ahe yota<s tkAra .ara
thousands OF quiet men. not in politics, with
no axe to grind and no hope except the simple
one Of performing the functions OF citizenship
These men. the real body Of the voters. are as
rule the unassertive majority OF both parties
ready to vote the ticket and ask no questions
II is only when the great fights come that they
wake UP. and think, and feel politically. II
Ii to them that the successful party must look
this year. 1t 10 possible that they may be LED
toward hysteria. Until they 20 declare. We
shall hold the faith that they will again prove
themselves the leavsn OF the country's sanity
sCHOOIBOOKs AND TIME.