The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-03-26
MajOnfes---W What Sort?

In between the days which will decide the question a to who shall
receive the delegation from Indiana to the Republican national conven-
ton is a good time to think about this thing called the tyranny Of the m a
jorty.
Mr.. Taft invented the phrase. Since it appearance N the message
accompanying his veto of the constitution If Arizona it has occupied
much Of ais attention and he may be said to have made it his platform
If Mr.. Roosevelt carries Indiana or any other state no doubt Mr.
Taft will consider this an oucropping Of mob rule. If Mr.: Taft car
ries this state n any other state We se this mob become a "spen'
did vindication Of my administration by the people"
That to our mind is a full summing up of all there is in Mr.. Tafts
issue as lar a TN oe'c o +" Is 0neerneo' la NJ. iA. ..'a . "*
the Roosevelt policies Is he promised to do Had he even carried out
the promises that he made to the progresaives sin congress when thu tariff
bill was up before the house and the senate-he would not now oe treat
ed with such utter indifference and even justified scorn. That the A m
erican people will stand for anything but absolute broken pledges to n
people o n economic issues which affect their read m neat NJ clothes
is just being proved as it has been proved in every other country that
has ever come into full flower
This country has happily escaped from boss rule these latter years
SO that it is hard to remember instances closely enough related to the
Marion county situation in which even a chance for a fair counting OF
actual votes cast weret taken away.
That Harry Wallace has ntckered back and forth a IS county chair
"a of the Republican party may seem to observers at a distance of
say ss miles merely prediction. How much did it have to do with
his yeardelayed controlership If the city of Indianapolis to which he
carried another mans letter of resignation for a whole year previous?
Inv u,ch lid II, bave q do with The money which he loaned Lew
Shank when that gentleman was running fol- mayor? How much dlda Ill
this have to do with the ready acqiescience to Joe kealinss desires?
Why in truth should this O. anything like this make any difference?
Why should a mar in Indianapolis or n other city-even Richmond
It is this sorto of thing which is called boss and machine rule. 1t
is this s@t of thing magnnied to the nth power which is Tafts only
claim to strength in America. 1t is the strength which he w1e'ds fom
his pact with the Cannon organization and the federal machine in the
South. No wonder that he is afraid of the men who are OF dominated
by gang rule.
No wonder he is afraid of government by maiornies!
Is it any wonder that Theodore Roosevelt says, n that many men
with him:
Il have scant patience with this talk of the tyranny of the major"
hy. Whenever there is a tyranny of the majority; l. shall protest
the tyranny of the minorities.
1T is a small minority that is grabbing u Goa deposits. u a
ter powers and harbor fronts A small minority is fattenlng on TN
sale Of adunerated foods and drugs. 1t is a small minority hat lies
behind monopOies and trusts. 1t is a small minority that stands De-
hind the present law of master and servant, the sweatshops and the
whole calendar If social and industrial injustice. 1t is a small mi
nority that is today using our convention system to defeat the will of
q majority If the people in the choice ofd delegates ito the Chicago con-
ventonL
1.-THE only tyrannies from which men women and children aes ut-
ferng in real life are the tyrannies OIL lnort1es'