The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-08
IRREGULARs ON THE WAYNE.

viously a national tendency to become politically more stable, and to forsake the leadership of spectacular figures without any gifts of high intelligence or states manship. Two notable examples are found in the retirement of Senator Mag nus Johnson, and the hard fight Senator Brookhart has had, to retain his seat. Neither of these men can properly lay claim to public confidence. Neither has a constructive legislative act to his credit, nor has either borne the banner of any of those outstanding reforms they promised to their respective constituencies while campaigning. In fact, Magnus Johnson in the senate proved convincingly that as a statesman he probably knows how to grow wheat. As a milker of COWS his re- nown is not so great, for the late Henry c. Wallace beat him on his own challenge to a milking contest. As milker of the public treasury he was equally inexpert, and therefore raised unto himself no coterie of supporters bent on enjoyment of his favor.
 If other bizarre figures in our national life had come up for reelection at this time it is highly probable that they like wise would have been retired, just as Jack Walton of Oklahoma was repudiated by the people of that state in his effort to reach the United States senate. The people of Oklahoma year ago did them- selves like service in retiring Repre- sentative Herrick of aerial notoriety. Even Senator LaFollette, long pre-emi- nent in his own state, but also widely known as man of odd and untried ideas, showed a tremendous loss of political prestige right in Wisconsin, which every body thought he carried in his pocket. His theories of public ownership of rail- roads and standardization of certain other industries did not on the final analysis sit we'll with the citizens of state where probably greater percentage of the pop ulation own property in their own right and free from incumbrance than in any other state. Besides, many of his for mer constituents came from countries where the railroads are government owned, and they had had enough of that sort of thing.
 It is also quite probable that Senator ILaFollette's attacks upon the supreme court caused revival of memory respect ing his attitude towards the government during the war, and the people evidently concluded that a man of more stable and proved allegiance to our institutions would be a safer leader whenever this nation decides to depart from the princl- ples and fundamentals of our form ot government. LaFollette's majority Tn Wisconsin, though small, is undoubtedly the result more of state pride than of ac- tual desire to see the senator succeed in his aspirations. Over the rest of the coun- try, his purpose of taking the election out of the hands of the people and throwing it into congress did not strike respon- sive chord, for that purpose also is at IT. reconcilable variance with our theory of election by popular majority.
 The election of two women governors, Mrs. Ferguson in Texas and Mrs. Ross in Wyoming, both Democrats, although Wyoming went for Coolidge, reveals tendency to try out women in executive positions in view of the fact that many men improperly permit their political acts often to go counter to their pr1vate code of morals. In Texas the election or woman Is more surprising than Tn Wyoming, the first state to grant full suffrage to women. It seems that there is less concern over the women's probable intention to do the right thing at all times. than there is over their astuteness in detecting and thwarting measures covertly designed to balk them. It IS honed that in such crises they Will De well advised and forewarned.
 The political re-alignments seem to be hack to the ranks of the two. main parties. The irregulars will doubtless from now on subside, and their places will be taken by the true progressives. The IT, regulars have been the political oppor- +unists who have sensed the unrest, the
 dissatisfaction with our lack of pro gressivism in government, and who have
 sought to capitalize it to their personal advantage. The day of the true pro- gressive, such as John w. Davis proved himself to be, is at hand. These men will lead the people along constructive lines of progress and will be champions
 of the people against those influences
 that seek to divert the authority of gov
 ernment to improper uses. The public
 mind is alert and ready for true leader
 ship. The party of negation will have to
 mend its ways, or give way before the
 inevitable forward march of public
 affairs and public thought.