Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1916-09-22

great supreme court of the United
States should descend to become a
trifiing, scolding politician, handy
man for the Penroses, the Shoots
and the interests" a mere Cam
paign Charlie who is running for the
presidency.
When Mr.. Hughes started upon
his campaign tour much was expect
ed. His first speeches did not by
any means measure up to the ex-
pectations. Allowance was made
however. He was reserving himself
He would rise to the plane upon
which it had been anticipated he
would stand. But he did not. Sub
sequent speeches were largely repe-
titions of the first. He got nowhere.
He did not even promise to get any
where. There was nothing specific
that was worth while. There was no
constructive proposal. Out of the
mass of small seedlings there arose
occasionally a nice phrase, ambig-
uous and meaningless, mere plati-
tude with which any would agree Of
course. But all the time the public
sensed the fact that he faced the
wrong way. Vast throngs-Repub-
licans, Democrats, Progressives, So
cialists, all sorts-went to see and to
hear. There was applause by the
regulars of his party, but even when
boisterous and prolonged, as it was
on only very rare occasions, it was
perfunctory and soulless. The gen.
erous audiences went away disap-
pointed. They went to hear a great
man, a man who must be great or he
would not have been chosen under
such circumstances and at such a
time. They hear only Campaign
Charley who is running for the presi-
dency.
The last gasp of any real spon-
taneity of approval was noticeable at
Minneapolis. From there on,
through the rest of his itinerary his
campaign, through the West espe-
cially, was, in the vulgar parlance OF
this day and time, commonplace
"frost" Vast numbers continued
going to hear, but that signifies little.
Time was when Republicans only
went to hear Republicans and Demo-
Gratis only to hear Democrats. Hap
PLY that time has passed. The gen.
orally large audiences meant little
from a political party standpoint
They were made up of citizens, mostly
fair-minded, who were willing to
listen. Republicans came away de-
spondent ad dissatisfied; Democrats
filed with the sense Of hope and OF
the righteousness in their cause-but
all with a feeling of genuine disap-
pointment in the Republican candi-
date.
In the days news, as given US for
the most part by the daily press
which is directly and indirectly dom
mated by those interests which wish
for Mr.. Hughes election, the truth
concerning Mr.. Hughes campaign
does not Of course appear. But from
every section and every community
comes the same report. Thousands
of lifelong Republicans candidly de-
clare that they have lost all hope OF
any rectification of the Republican
party and that they will have none
of Mr.. Hughes. whatever his personal
excellencies. They are turning to-
ward Mr.. Wilson, the Democratic
nominee. Not merely toward Mr.
! Wilson as a great man, nor toward
the Democratic candidate because he
happens to be Mr.. Wilson. who is in.
deed q great man and good and able
president, but toward that rising star
Of democratic idealism. the idealism
that Bryan taught and that Woodrow
fieast as, in his judgment, conditions
and opposing forces leave it possible
It was this idealism that made Mr..
Bryan indeed the peerless leader. 1t
is this idealism that sets Mr.. Wilson
and his administrative policies high
above the level or the comprehension
of the materialists, the time-servers,
the glorious, the aristocrats, the
warriors, the purely selfish, the stag
nant and the crooked. 1t is the star
of this transcendent democratic ideal
ism, the idealism that encompasses
the rights Of all men alike and re-
Dukes and denies the power Of evil,
the star now casting its cheerful rays
over the rejuvenated, purified and
forward-looking Democracy, toward
which the people are turning.
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