Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-01-19
s"rWO NOTABLE DESCRIPTIONS"

Remarkable changes are taking
place this State i'll particular, and
in this country in general. The fol-
lowing citation from the editorial
columns Of the Richmond (Va.)
Times. Dispatch Of the 18th instant,
Will prove interesting reading:
Within the past forty-eight hours
two Democrats, both native sons or
Virginia, whom the State has hon
ored above all others, one as the ma
TONS President, the other as its Gov
crnor, have deserted the fundamental
principle OF sclf-govcrnment upon
which democracy is founded, and have
gone over to stand in the ranks OF
those who say that it Is morally with
in the province OF Maine to impress
its own pecul. ar views in sumptuary
legislation UPON the people of Cali
fomia or any other State. Woodrow
Wilson, born in the State which gave
OF It's hearts blood for defense OF
lIlo NULL lhC llliI CuIIl olatc clloulu
DO sclf-governing in such matters, and
risen to worlds leadership through
his repeated enunciat'on OF that basic
principle, has announced himself
squarely In favor Of woman suffrage
through amendment to the Federal
Constitution. Thereby, he probably
has made certain tho adoption OF the
aaSffrage resolution by Congress- His
$run Io
shattered the remaining courage of
many Southern congressman who al
ready were waverlng under the tre-
on them. With the moral support Of
the President they might have stood
firm.
This Is but a reiteration Of a doc
laration made in these columns that
a Capitalization Of power at tho Ma
tional Capital and the power to inter
fere with internal affairs Of the State
were Violativc Of States Rights doc
trines and in keeping with the doc
trines and prccepts Of the most rad1
cal Republicans this country has pro-
duced in Il century. We hardly ex-
pected, though, that the editor Of a
Democratic newspaper would have
tack the idol" Of the Democratic
Party, Hon. Woodrow Wilson, and the
leader Of the Democratic Prohibition
forces in this State, in the person Of
Hon. II. G. Stuart. The one is Presi-
dent Of the United States and will
occupy that position for about three
years, while the latter is retiring,
not to private life. but with the prob
able expectation that heI will one day
Wear the senatorial toga at the Capt.
tai Of the nation. The TimesDis-
patch continues:
Why the Presidents conversion to
the suffrage by-Federal-amendment
plan? His frequently and forcibly OK
pressed attitude favorable to suffrage
through State enactment was we'll
understood and commended. His sud
don change Is q surprise. 1t may
not be said that through it he seeks
political preferment. He twice has
received the highest political honor
the nation can give. There Is moth
ing more for him personally. That
bong true, there can be but two ex-
plantations: one, his convictions have
undergone a sudden and marvellous
change; the second, he has taken the
role Of opportunist for his party. The
first is untenable. Every mental
characteristic Of the man argues
against it. The second hypothesis,
then, must be true, and he has laid
this democratic principle upon the
sacrificial altar Of continued party
dominance. Unquestionably; propa-
ganda and open threats of defeat for
the Democratic party, together with
political oblivion for the South If It
did not get In line for vot~s for worn-
Ell, have had their effect Southern
Congressman have felt their force,
and their trepidstion has reached the
White House. But If desertion Of
principle be necessary to save the
Democratic party, then far rather
would we see it going down to der
feat with it's colors flying and its
principles unbesmirched.
We take 1t that this is a charge
that President Woodrow Wilson and
Governor II. c. Stuart have deserted
right principles. What becomes Of
that halo OF glory with which both
Of them have been surrounded and
on account Of which they have been
held up as shining examples Of great