The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-01

members of the Virginia legislature are honest
enough not to be readily purchased-fur that
after all is the real inference--by corporations.
At least hope this belief is true.
But that the will of the people is or ever can
he paramount in legislative affairs, and that they
can wisely and from time to time dictate to the
legislature or to the courts the direction Of mat
ters OF government, is to say the least. very
doubtful. or If this could be done of doubtful
uuhty. AS q matter of fact leadership is al
ways. and will be always felt, and will always
control in matters polite. One need only see
what Is being done this very hour by Woodrow
Wilson in New Jersey to see that the strong
mind the masterfui will. the pure spirit orig
mates reforms and guides the public mind. True
Il Is that such man clearly what the peo-
pie need, sees their Affections and leads them,
Moses like, out of the wilderness. But IL would
have been years and years, possibly never, be-
fore the people OF New Jersey would have risen
in their might ana overthrown their bosses, but
for the originating mind of the master, and still
more of the nasterful spirit that led. No. in all
ages, when study history, do that the
leader leads, the people folIow-follow usually
readily when the leader is masterful but always
follow, not originate. 1t is this spirit OF master
ful Leadership, wrongly used. as feel 1t, that
makes Theodore Roosevelt so prominent a
figure; his ability to lead. And II it comes to
pass that the referendum is established In this
or any other State, it will he that the re-
forms initiated will be initiated by leader, and
that this leader and others with him, will direct
the movement control It and bring II to pass or
defeat 1t. as tho case may be For Illustration,
where in any community, has a hygenic reform
been originated? Among the people. the com
nonaty? Never. These are suffering, hlindly
and patiently, calling their sutferings providen-
tia! and bearing them as such Then q leader
arises and wakes UP that community-that Is
what happens in all cases. [ live in a little town
where local option prevails. Any coming
here and studying the subject VIII soon that
the town has local option not because the ma
Jority of the masses moved for It. but because
few men, patriotic aud inteliigent,~ the
OWL and worked with the masses for its re-
mGval. The masses would not, and / might al
most say could not, have done this without
leadership, and that of strenuous sort,
some forty years ago the city of Wash
inston clamored through some ambitious leaders
for legislative government Congress gave it,
Five years or so OF local government by the
masses was enough to prove that the masses, a:
least in that city, were no more capable of judg-
ing what the city needed than so many sheep
The city run into debt, many millions.
think, and the better classes were very glad
TO he relieved of local government; and for
thirty years the city has a commission
government no one votes in that Arcadia. and
peace reiGus
And here we have Mr. Roosevelt inveighine
against the courts and clamoring for condi-
ton of things that would give the masses the
cision contrary to what the people deemed wat
right Do not that this is the art of
dcmagogue? It is. pure and simple. Can we
not that such condition once established
would lead to practical anarchy? To change 8
law to throw Judge out of court because
the common people, led by an artfnl and de
matters worse than they are. l make no plea
for precedent. Often it is unwise TO follow
I.precedent because in the evolution OF matters
social and political precedent must be ignored
once respect for that be destroyed and We have
spasmodic and irresponsible action-action thai
may do more damage than following precedent
For after all what is precedent but tht
crystallized expression of the wisdom of thf
/ ages?
/ But this is too long. I have scarcely touched
j the edge of the subject. -
Jrbanna Va. Feb. 81