The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1918-11-09

WYE HAVE just had a striking demonstration
w Of the watchfulness with which the people
ot the United States guard their liberties.
in principle and in practical application.
Joseph W. Folk. defeated democratic candidate
for the senate IN Missouri. is quoted as laying his
defeat to the appeal of Mr.. Wilson to Missouri
voters in Folk : behalf. However questionable may
bee Folk : criticism of his bcncfactor and backcr,
the truth of what he has said is now obvious TO
everyone. What happened in Missouri happened
pretty much everywhere else in the country. includ-
iup New Mexico. The people resented Mr.. Wilson,
effort 10 dictate whom the people should send To
congress as their representatives. and they express
cd that resentment az the polls. The issue was
established Immediately ~ between complete lib
crty of choice IN representation and u representa-
ton influenced il not dictated.
Moreover the democratic leaders in nearly
every state, blindly followiug their great leader. nm
dcrtook to back up his appeal by an effort TO put
one over on the people. They sought to leave the
impression that tlY continuance OF the war would
bee lndeinit" and that patriotism was demanding
the continued resting of absolute power in the
hands of Mr.. Wilson. They made the monumental
error of overlooking the keen common sense of our
people that 'hOrSc sense which is the power of
analyses of every public question. which gets right
down TO the essentials and which has enabled the
people of the United States to take the right course
IN nearly every crisis and to avoid imumerablc
pitfalls OF impractical governmental theory aud cx-
pertinent.
The people were able to see that the war was
nearing It's end. They were able to understand the
fooliShness of the effort 20 convince an united
people that the victory of one or the other OF our
political parties would bring joy to Berlin on any
other enemy. Knowing thoroughly the machinery
If our government they understood that the con-
4fcss then being elected would not take office for
u year, and that within that time the war would be
won, that peace would be restored and tina, we
would be fairly into the problems of sftcr-war adj
jusiment. They detected instantly the false note
in the CIV Of patriotism that covered plain partisan.
ship.
The people of the United States, who had
ci%ecrfully and unitcdly entrusted absolute power
IN the hands of the commandments OF the ma
ton AT war, were equally united in their unwilling
ness to continue a single extra. constitutional power
in any department of the government, after the
conclusion of the war emergency.
That was the Issue really the only one. The
people saw straight through all the camouflage.
They were not fooled for an instant aud they de
cided unerringly for immediate return TO the spirit
and the letter of the constitutional rights and
principles.
In reaching their decision the people have
voted a heavy responsibility upon the republican
party, as represented by the republican congress.
The republican party has been aggressive, construc.
tive, backing its judgment with force aud courage
ahd II has solved wisely many OF the great prob
lens of this nation. But il is going now into wholly
new problems, some of them as grave as any that
have gone before. There will be nnumerdblc Oh.
pOrtunItics and constant temptations 10 yield To
radical governing and industrial policies, the out.