The Washington herald., 1918-08-08
AFIELD WITH
THE
OBSERVER

Philadelphia, Aug. TN this
birthplace of American government
il would not be out of place. think.
to comment upon the evidences one
sees in our land now of the preser-
walton of some of the principles laid
down originally by our forefathers.
Our instant report is that the
custodianship has been most bene-
fcaI and not in the least abused.
The generation OF this day has
the essentials with 1t and the
only changes which have been made
have come from a broadening of
the very same principles our fore
fathers took time enough to think
out with clarity and with fidelity
to their cause in their day.
For instance, when reports OF
elections over the country began
to come in today. the folks read OF
them with interest for to some ex-
tent there were candidates every
where this year who either reflect
ed their views or had gained their
hearty opposition. The almost GER
tain decision one reaches upon
hearing them talk was that the
American people vote their tudg-
ment and do the Job well.
Their task is an old one-and yet
ever new. There are newer and
more important things this year
than for many, many years now
gone. Yet the people have thought
out the issues, have separated the
wheat from the chaff. the sane and
safe talk from the drivel, and have
chosen for the general election
races men whose candidates. can
come before them later with every
assurance that all their acts will be
scrutinized and every promise un-
derstood by the people between now
and general election time.
America would have gained nothing
since 1776 II she had not gained the
insistence of the people that inde-
pendent action be indulged in by the
voters and that every election should
be carried on with the utmost fair
ness and Justice to all. The strange
thing to me Is that In this birthplace
of our government, though, there
seems to be more dispute over the
extent OF this right than in almost
any other city We have visited. There
are men here who complain that this
city Is still run by bosses and that
the State, in fact, is not free Of 1t at
all. So what we say, while uttered
here must not be applied locally, but
universally, to American city and
State governments. and finally to the
great national government itself.
Our government was founded Tor
the people. They have kept 1t that
way. The people have and must con-
tinue to have the kind of government
they want-and the kind they want
~, hn he EfnA fhav toll
crate. To say that the minority can
defeat the majority for any consid-
erable length OF time is to require
the services of a mind specialist to
look over the leadership as well as
the rank and file of the majority. II
this city and State-if some of the
things said about them are true
wanted merely to dig the grave OF
the boss organization they could do
so. But they cannot do so by wish
ing 1t. Graves are dug-that means
that some one must apply pickaxes
and shovels with some force to the
ground. They can never have
change here until some one suggests
the application Of the shovels and
pickaxes OF politics and until the ma
iority Of the people take those instru-
ments Of political burial into their
hands and WELD them with force.
Our government was made flexible
to be rested on firm principles
which, however, could be quickly
adapted to the changed demands of
a free people. Our war has demon
strated the applicability-the sturdy
and yet instant applicability-of those
principles to changed conditions.
There were political leaders here un-
til recently who thought the change
could and should not be brought
about. They are out Of the way now.
Their ideas have been so singularly
smashed in this respect that they dare
not relate their beliefs now in re-
spectacle economic company. We
have gone forward q dozen years in
the last year, in some respects-and
the people haven't been starting bon
fires or anything like that here
against their government because Of
it Nor will they, anywhere. The
fact Is the people have fallen in with
precision to the new step. They are
not apt to back out Of the line either,
not even II the march should sudden
ly be stopped and We were allowed
to rest for two decades and perhaps
longer in the quietude Of peace.
All of this would inspire our fore
fathers II they could take off their
topcoats and drop into this city at a
torrid time like this to look about
for their handiwork. They could look
arounH hora ana ror.id roaA fka xa-