Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-16
A CLOSEUP" AT SHADOW LAWN
Wilson Political Ragnarok Population
of Belgiums-Seeing America Through the
Eyeglasses of 1929
By II. S. WEBER

A SORT OF Republican n-ProgressiveDem
"A ocrat. native OF America but German
on both sides and thoroughly neutralized
by excessive newspaper writing, went dis
guised In a smooth-shaven face and eye
glasses to Shadow Lawn on Saturday
with the Pennsylvania Democratic hosts.
He wore the additional disguise of man.
moth Wilson badge, which also concealed
the identity of a number of unreorgan-
ized Old Guard Democrats and progress
sves, who start that word sometimes
with a small letter "p" and sometimes
with "ret." He went TO get what the
movie folk call closeup" OF the twenty
seventh President Uwenty-eighth IL you
count Cleveland twice). and this was the
impression he got by listening not so
much to what Mr.. Wilson was saying as
to what he was thinking;
Woodrow Wilson expects not to defeat
the Republican party. but to annihilate
II. He does not believe he will be re-
elected; he knows II. He said New York
defeated "a tolerably good new Constitu-
ton" because It suspected its authors
meaning Elihu Root.
York is going this time look up the rec
ords Of what II did TO the Constitution"
We looked 1t up in the almanac and this
is the prognostlcated result in New York
State November 7:
Wilson. ........'..'..'''' oso'ooo
Hughes. .............''.'''' Soe'Voo
Now this is the language of annihila.
ton. Under such conditions are 100000
Republican voters, a population the size
OF Belgium's. TO be dispersed. Belgium
though stricken, yet will survive, and
Inquiries as to whether the outlawed
Republican host are to have asylum TO
raise their young and protect their women
from the pursuers are needlessly pitiful.
The casualties will be trivial. Only Mr..
Root and the shades OF Mark Hanna and
Senator Aldrich will be barred 10 the icy
blast Of an avenging November. Only
the men "who do not seek office but In
visibly run officeholders" will be pun
ished.
Very we'll. We know the worst. Can
any one doubt after this that Woodrow
Wilson will be the most amazed man in
| America II he is defeated? Can any one
doubt that he will throw his fighting
force into the political arena with re-
doubled energy on March 8, 1877 II
would pain Mr.. Wilson considerably TO
compare him with the mossgrown John
| Quincy Adams but In one respect II is
here predicted their histories will agree
that Wilson defeated will go into Con
gress and seek again the presidency. With
| easy and smiling assurance. he intimately
leaned over the porch rail and admit
ted that while Pennsylvania was a doubt
ful State the possibility Of its uttering
"the final rebuke" 10 Republicans and so
''redeeming America" was TO him allur-
ing. After suggesting that Pennsylvania
is doubtful what apostle OF the light could
retire TO life OF slothful ease?
Now. taking Mr.. Wilson at his word
let US concede for the sake Of argument
or rather TO stop argument, the annihila
| ton theory. The good word Republican
which means In America the same thing
as Democratic must be taboo. All the
bad rich Republicans and all the bad
rich Democrats twho. by the way. out
contributed the Republicans by giving
| sl.1bs, ,440 20 the Wilson campaign fund
| In 1912 will go into or stay In the Dem
| ooratic party. To tho cave Adullam
| which Is called Progressive, viii go the
good Democrats and the good Republi
cans. No longer wiil tho President be re-
sponslblo to the people. with no third
| term allowed. He has said he ala not 60
| cree ths majority. but went forward
| With A. Then what 81 tho f4orulle. dr4<n