Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-11-02
Circulation Every 1H1CA
Evening Yesterday i 1T
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 2, 1920.
Suoreme Test Of Popular Government

Supreme lest OIL op"'"
ybrm,shout the entire country, today,
the probably thirty millions OF Vo'els'
and women. are conducting the
euadrennisl election for PRESIDENT aho
vie~-Prcsident, in connection with 'ho
h,~rn,al election for House of Repre-
sontssjyes and about third OF the mem
h,r. ~ IN. Senate. Under existing condl-
lions. this election involves either the m
dorsem.nt of the national administration
th.t h,s been IN power for nearly eight
wears. or it, liquidation in favor OF an
other Of different political faith
What +. really wonderful proceeding
Whist A complete demonstration OF the
success, Of popular government TINS Is ne
sruntrv il not in great spasm Of eXcited
turmoil over this momentous occasion aho
slithat i.involves Heresnd tEe'e through
out the States there may he excitement
even disorder or rioting. But IN the msin
the election will proceed quietly ana
whatever the result may be, there is no
doubt the voice Of the majority, as eN-
prpseed Al the ballot-boxes. VIII De az
ouiesced in cordially and uncompiainlnsiy
by the defeatedand disappointed minority,
and the ordinary affairs Of the people VIII
r.. actively resumed in few days, Just az
though no such tremendous proceeding
had taken place, even though the result
should declare for complete and raoioai
change in our national administration and
in our national policy.
What A splendid tribute this IS 70 Popu-
lar government, 70 government "of the
people. for the people and by the people.
s,ch .. the Fathers Of the Nation estso-
hshed. amid turmoil. trouble and trlbuAa-
,,oc nore than 4 century and a quarter
ago. Then il was doubtful experiment.
I~aderv Of the monArchisl governments
al the Old World dcrided il and predicted
d,snsl failure. But the loyal people Of the
,hrn infant Republic willingly accepted II,
and. despite the adverse influences OF
.oen,,.. AZ home as web as abroad. con-
duet~,iit toa most glorious contamination
Not without great difficulties, the in
curing Of crises that threatened dissolu-
tion was this experiment IN popular
government so successfully earned on.
There were dave and months and years OF
tc-,ible suspcnsa during the bitter war he
tween the states which we can clearly see
in this dav. might have been averted ny
wierr counsel. and Welding by both sldet
70 oornprornl.e born Of calm consideration.
W. went through al exciting contest Tor
the Presidency the result Of which, IN the
opinion Of majority Of the voters was
achieved through fraud and rascallty, and
for four wear. condoned the CRIME and
tolerated its fruits. We have stood appal-
led at the horrid set Of ASSASSINATION OF
Presidents, and punished the dastardiJ
sssassins BY the orderly processes Of the
lxu. We have survived storm after storm
and emerged from each Crisis stronger and
better, more and more representative o.
the strength and possibilities Of populal
government.
And TODAY. on the occasion Of thu
ouadrennisl decision by the great army
voters. men and women, we see oul
country grown from three millions L
more than a hundred millions OF people
Our territory extending from ocean 4
cream and from the Great Lakes 70 III
Gulf Of Mexico the mightiest the richest
and most infuentisl nation on the fac
ofthe earth. And this we will continue TO b
tomorrow, no matter how the peOpi
decide by their ballots today.