The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-27
The Progressive Call
(A1fred B. williams, in Roanoke Timesl.

Apparently this new Progressive" Denoc-
racp have here in Virginia has ffot mitch
confidence in Its power of attraction 1t
has arranged that Secretary Bryan and Senator
owen. two political top-liners. shall speak at
Richmond two nights while the mass meeting,
or convention, formally called In notice print
ed today Is in session. These distinguished
statesmen and orators will SECURE large attend
ance and arouse enthusiasm, Of course. The
railways IL they are wise and enterprising, will
run special trains and offer excursion rates.
Everybody in Virginia will wish to hear the Sec
rotary and the senator They men we'll
worth hearing We hope Mr. BRYAN will not
do the Progressive Democracy as he did tire
Leeshurg people, and send in blI for several
hundred dollars for his presence and perfof
nance, and suppose he will not; for political
speech and address general moral and social
topics are different. Mr.. Bryan has the right
TO charge when he knows he is to be used for
advertising purposes and to promote local en-
terprise. We cannot Imagine that he would
expect pay, beyond his travelling expenses, for
oratory political occasion.
If any evidence needed that Virginia
is a well-governed and well-conducted State,
and that her long succession of Democratic ad-
manifestations have been honest enferprfsing,
economical and faithful, we need go no further
than the declaration or purposes presented by
the Progressive Democracy under the leader
ship of the progressive John Garland Pollard,
attorney general. one of the few apostles of that
queer cult to be elected to anything in recent
years Perhaps 1t would be unSnd to suggest
that Mr. Pollard elected not because he is
beautiful and sanity, and diligent uplifter,
but because the Hon Sam Williams had angered
a good many people in Southwest Virginia by
his votes for superintendents of public schools.
Therefore, may let that go by and leave the
Hon, John Pollard to wear his laurels with ex-
ultation, and drink deep of their dew and inhale
luxuriousy their fragrance while they fresh
on his youthful and heaven erected brow 1t
will be noted that there is not hint of cor
rupton, of extravaganza, waste oppression or
subserviency by any of our governments. The
'Progressives" are kind enough to mark us clean
and sober and to leave us entitled 10 full GER
tifcate of moral health.
They demand the initiative, referendum and
recall This is a political doctrine and policy
borrowed from Europe, accepted eagerly by
persons In western States of the union either
European immigration their Immediate de-
scendants. Perhaps 1t is appropriate for States
where, because of the ignorance, inexperience
or weakness of voters, corporations and wealth
have been allowed to control lawmakers and
| administration of the laws. Mr.. Bryan picked
it up quickly, but dropped it quickly six or
eight years ago. The chief argument for it pre-
scented by the Hon John Garland Pollard is the
support of it given by President Wilson. The
president once opposed it bitterly Then he
gave it approval as "a gun behind the door"
for use in emergencies. Perhaps no may change
his mind again. as every sensible and honest
man has the right TO do But we have no
emergencies here in Virginia, We are a God
/ fearing, orderly clean and courageous people.
We have removed our few had, and even in
discreet, judges by due and decent processes.
and kept ourselves clean of bad officers. We
have chosen legislative and executive officers
who have expressed our Will and acted for our
interests, and represented us Satisfactorily why
should we be pestered with an academic theo-
retical provision for unlikely emergencies while
in our present laws and customs we have ample
protection and guarantee? Why should we he
annoyed by the whims impulses of the fret
full and restless and disappointed and disgrun-
tied, and give them power TO force us into end
less SUGGESTIONS of elections and votes? We
have taken care of ourselves very well under
our own established laws and plans of dealing
with offenders and offenses.
Aside from the Initiative referendum and re-
call proposition. the Progressive Democracy"