Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-06-16

i am out OF politics.
Thus the plaintive voice from Oyster Bay. The
magician has dropped his wand. The Thunderer
pipes on a broken reed. The minion of Mars sinks
crestfaIIen from the field. Let housewives make
a skillet of his helm
When the knight of La Mancha and his faithful
squire emerged battered and bruised from their
encounter with the cowherds, the Knight sought to
console Sancho with precepts of chivalry and hopes
of better days. whereupOn the practical Sancho re-
piled, he rubbed his shin: Faith Master, l am
more 1T for plasters than discourses" Likewise
the Colonel has no heart for his wonted glibness
as he nurses the wounds of his latest adventure.
This year, as in 1912. he stormed the Republican
Old Guard for the nomination; and this year, as
then he failed. But whereas in 1912 he shouted de-
fance and raised the flag of new party and rallied
four million Jealous voters to his cause, he now
slips quietly from the stage, deserving the PRO
gressives" who swore by his constancy.
The ColonePs role is not enviable one; and
for nero who has denounced cutters and molly
coddles so unspairingly, it is most amazing. Four
years ago he assured the "Progressives," whose
chosen. prophet and leader he was, that they had
founded a party devoted steadfastly to principles
and divineIy commissioned to free the
nation from social injustice and polit-
ical crooks Now tells them, in effect,
that they no longer look to him for leadership
when leadership holds promise of spoils. In the
first instance he used the Progressive" party as
tool for wreaking personal revenge. This time he
used it as tool to accomplish personal ambition;
and having found it Intellectual for that purpose,
he casts il aside.
The Colonel thirsted and painted for the Re-
publican nomination. He opposed Justice Hughes,
the most formidable figure in that field, and even
through the eleventh hour threatened to repeat
his stroke of 1912 unless the Old Guard did his
bidding While he thus angled for the Republican
nomination, he left the PrOgressives believing that
they still had party and that he was still their
leader The rank and file of he Progressives were
deeply in earnest. They took themselves and their
organization with a seriousness that was nothing
short of piety; and above all. they took Colonel
prise and despair when they at last that the
Colonel having failed to get the nomination of the
Standpatters. would not accept their own!
Nominate him. they did; but The Journals
correspondent suggests, they nominated him lin
resentment and revenge" They determined
that he should squirm out Of the responsibility
he had created; rather, he should be compelled to
face the issue and act the part, either of un-
selfish leader time-serving politician. 1t was
cruel of the Progressives to bring the Colonel to
this pass But it was he who had enjoined them
TO place honesty above policy, and courage above
all things And, SO. they went pitilessly forward,
putting his courage and honesty to the test.
What now will become of the Progressive party
is suggested by the remark one of its stanchest
and most discerning members William Allen
White who declares: MIR Perkins paid his good
money for the party, and in him rested its title"
The organization might have survived the loss of
leader, but hardly the loss of its check book. AS
for the Colonel himself he awaits in silence-to
him. the most painful of all circumstances-an op-
portunity to return with some show of grace to
the bosom of the Old Guard. For the nonce, how
ever he can only sulk in thoughts of what might
have been. His bluf has been called. His pumage
has been plucked. And, what to him is most
painful, he realizes like Chantclere that the sun
can rise without his
With Hughes and Fairbanks in the race, there