The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-08
REMINDERS OF FUNDAMENTALS

FORMER PRESIDENT Iait, bcIhR III postum 10
talk sense talks it. He tells his class at Yale
that If we are to have free trade. the party that
favors it should vote for it, and the country
should be allowed to try it He outlines the
purpose Of "the new school of political thinkers
who call themselves progressives" with accuracy
which is general rather than exact Those
purposes he declares TO he ito prevent corrup-
tion of government by corporations; 10 create
an equality of opportunity for all men and TO
eaualize property holdings to some extent" He
predicts that the tendency toward radical changes
In our system Of government will recede and that
the country will attain a happy medium between
the "progressives" and "reactionaries."
This prediction probably will be fulfilled.
The pending tariff bill is compromise. The
Democrats abandoned long ago the demand for
immediate free trade for the wiping out of the
entire protective system. The horizontal reduc-
ucn plan also sent TO the scrap pile The
purpose now is gradual, experimental tariff re-
duc;on, with careful attention to the details of
each schedule, that shock TO established and i'm
portant interests and disturbance OF commerce
ray be avoided far as is possible We are
working toward free trade, or tariff strictly for
revenue but are proceeding with watchfully OBJ
servant eyes and cautious steps. not bindIy or
impetuously.
Mankind in all countries and nations is divided
into TWO great general classes. the restless who
crave changes of conditions, the satisfied who
shrink from changes. The division is part Of
the beautiful system of checks aud balances we
find in all nature, all business, all human affairs.
Usually the very prosperous and powerful oppose
changes Of all kinds, dreading interruption of
their prosperity and lessening of their power.
They are useful The conservative is necessary.
He is the brake and the weight on the train of
human progress. preventing it from moving too
fast or jumping the track. The reformer, the
progressive. the radical. whatever he may be
called. is the living and driving force, He fights
existing and approved wrongs, demands improve
ments urges forward movements for the better
nsent OF the race and communities. keeps thought
alive and striving. causes action. And unhroken
and undisturhed rule Of conservatism would
mean decay and death for any people, monopoly
o. wealth and opportunity Unchecked progress
siveness, acceptance of thought undigested and
theories OncUns1QereU ana unleSleu WOulu mean
destruction. Therefore, these two forces work
together by working against each other. Civil
cation has been attained and government is
maintained and progress is made by endless COM
promises-"happy mediums" Mr.. Taft puts
1t. Nobody is exactly right and nobody is en-
tirely wrong. The radical pulls the conserva-
tive forward and the conservative holds the radi-
haak he nF+ ha
people and public sentiment shift their weight
from side to side as thought and experience
suggest. Neither element of life is allowed to
be permanently in control or finally crushed
The process ia natural; usually unconscious but
In this country at least. 1t is continuous, and
usually # is successful.
These are familiar fundamentals. plainly an.
parent through all the history of humanity but
they are forgotten sometimes in the heat of
partizan strife and tho eager concentration Of
combatants. They were known To the ancients
A Latin philosopher advised that the middle
course is the safest. Yet they are overlooked
daily by the moderns Besotted, sodlen, repete
contentment resists every new thought and policy
Reckless, resentful, restless dissatisfaction, am
hilton and aspiration disregard every old prin-
ciple and try to trample every sound precedent
II is the task and duty of the thoughtful citizen
n find the right way and solid ground between
The two extremes, giving TO each respectfully
consideration, seeing in each some reason and
Justice.
The extremist is the most dangerous foe Of
reformation. The mass of the people of this
republic are battling against him now. We have
put before us fantastic and wild schemes and
experiments. burlesques and grotesque exaggera-
sious OF democracy. Thought is running wild and
toe many people are Selling and accepting every
thing labelled progressive, denouncng ere.
dictionary" every suggestion OF conservatism. 1t
is time for cool heads and discriminating OBJ
seryation and thought, There can be no purpose
moro noble than equality Of opportunity and
fair distribution of wealth By national process
!. end none more in accord with the dreams Of the
makers Of country. But violence and un-
due haste and revolutionary methods will dc.
feat those purposes surely. We being led
wisely 80 far. II is the work of the people TO
uphold wisdom and to continue to follow It,