The Washington herald., 1912-11-04
The ''silent" Vote.


The day IS passed long since in this
country when shouting multitudes.
cheering mass. meetings, or elaborate
parades decided national election.
Demonstrations prove nothing to in
telligent voters. Our contention is
likely to be proved in this triangular
contest, should there be no tangible re-
suit and the election be thrown into
.he House.
Why so?
These are the days of the silent"
vote, of decision arrived at by think
ing men, after due deliberation. Not
that this is done without influence, for
the American reads his paper, he may
20 to mass meetings, or to hear a
standard bearer of party expound
pro and con, he may even shout with
the enthusiasts; but, once arrived at
his own hearthstone. he will Nsit down
and digest all he has heard and COM
pare this with the actual situation,
with what has been accomplished and
what is needed in the way of reform.
Self-interest may have something to
do with this also, but has there ever
been an election or a popular govern
ment when pocket interest was not at
the bottom of the most honest and
otherwise patriotic voters? What we
mean by this is that citizens are apt to
have the local and State interests more
at heart than those of other States or
the nation. just as Gen. Hancock's re-
mark that, after all. the tariff was a
local issue," and for which he was
widely ridiculed since, has turned out
to have been perfectly justified.
Going back to the silent vote We find
that it has already been responsible for
a detection of many workingnen from
Mr.. Wilson to Mr.. Roosevelt, as well
as from Mr. Wilson to Mr.. Taft, by
the conservative (protected, if you
prefer business men, Though the con-
test may have narrowed down to a
fight between Messrs. Taft and Viii
son. yet should Mr.. Roosevelt carry
California and perhaps another State
besides the two already placed in his
column, the possibility of tie is more
than mere conjecture, with sequel
of a deadlock in the House Upon
this question the Constitution calls for
vote by States, not by members.
There are twenty-five delegations
each on the Republican and Democratic
sides; four are divided evenly. OF
these Rhode Island might have the last
word to speak in favor of the Repub-
lican ticket. But its Republican menu
Der is desperately i'll and will not be
able to appear in his seat. Should he
(Mr. Utter) resign and another Re-
publican be sent in his stead by the
time the vote would have to be cast
in February, Mr. Taft will be safe.
Otherwise it will be Mr.. Wilson.
This was depression, however. We
are not that far as yet. The public
has lost sight of the fact that the men
who are not wearing buttons, whose
straw vote has not been polled, those
who decline to commit themselves and
return. straw ballots unanswered, in
reality will hold the balance of power
tomorrow. The real issue is this: In
which of the three parties does this
silent vote lie? We hold that there are
but few Bull Moosers who meant to
lie low in this manner, because their
aim, very naturally, was to enlist as
many recruits as possible. The only
purpose, on the other hand. why Demo-
Gratis might have remained silent,
would be a doubt whether to support
Mr.. Wilson, that is, remain regular, or
to vote the Republican ticket. There
fore, probably the largest class of
these silent voters would be Republi-
cans who are hesitating between Mr.
Taft and Mr.. Wilson, and who would
vote tomorrow for Mr.. Wilson for the
sole purpose of defeating Nj. Roose-
welt. These men no doubt fully realize
that they will jeopardize the present
prosperity, but they believe that the
issue between Messrs. Taft and Roose-
welt, in the last analysis, is greater
than that between Messrs. Taft and
Wilson, Hence they perhaps mean to
sacrifice Mr.. Taft and to choose the
lesser evil Of the two. Mr.. Wilson In
stead of Mr.. Roosevelt.
The Cuban Election.