Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 264, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 November 1918 — A LESSON IN POLITICS. [ARTICLE]

A LESSON IN POLITICS.

If men learn from experience and observation, it ought to be a long time before any .one in authority attempts again to prescribe a policy for the American voter. If, the parties learn well this lesson it will be a point in wisdom gained. When so great a man as Woodrow Wilson fails utterly to influence his countrymen, there must be a reason; and it is not far to seek. Without saying eo in words, the implication was that only Democrats were fit to advise the President, and to carry out his war measures. This was at variance with congressional history and utterly out of harmony with American ideate. It was with a positive degree of pleasure, and with a characteristic display of that semi-humorous, taunting American Spirit,' so often observed when the people are aroused, that the voter went into the booth and cast a flat and solid vote, not for the thing that had been commanded, but openly and defiantly against it. Neither was it done in hot anger; for there has not been a better-natured election in recent times than Tuesday’s. ’ But it was none the less serious.

The American people do not hesiJto teach their rulers; and, if necessary, to penalize them. President Wilson has been regarded not only as eminent among the presidents, but as the smartest politician of his time, but events show that even he can misjudge the people and make, political blunders. It was somewhat natural, because, with a unanimity rarely observed, all parties had conceded to him all powers and grants. He came to thank that his expressed wish would be the wish of the people. And so it.was, so long as it related bo the actual prosecution of the war. But the whole country perceived it the moment a false step was taken, out of harmony with the purposes that the President and all of us had in mind. A few partisan papers, and of course the Springfield Republican, supported the President in his “appeal.” But no one else seriously doubted that it was'a blunder, because in effect it was an effort to stifle individual opinion. The Republican spirit of course flamed into action. But much is due to the Democrats themselves for assisting in bringing the President to the correct view of things.,, Many of them refused to vote, or voted against his wishes. It ought to be many a day before another President attempts to divide the people into sheep and goats. That belongs to a higher power.—lndianapolis News. •