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GOODWIN'S WEEKLY $ YxT. THE SPECTATOR fw I I a4toiS lil HAT election yesterday got my goat," said a former 111 m C III Ward-Heeler with a woe-begone look on his face, on the I III m. J 111 morning following the primaries. Ill Wirf III "What's the matter?" I inquired. "Didn't things go 111 HI suit yu?" pmjjiii -jy J ..qjj yeSf D0.n my mon g0j. acrosa au right, but it strikes me that the election was just about as lively as a funeral." I had to agree with him that the affair wasn't overly exciting, at that. Then we drifted into a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of running elections without money and machines (I refer to automobiles, of course.) "These election reformers can holler all they like," the Waid-Heeler ob served, "but I'm here to say that you can't get an honest exprssion of the elec torate under this misfit of a law." "You don't suppose there was any boodling or undue influence going on yesterday?" I inquired. t "No, I guess not. But just the same, the system is un-American." "How do you figure that out?" "You believe that the majority should rule, don't you?" "Of course. That is an established principle in this government." "Well, the majority didn't rule yesterday. Only about thirty per cent of the electorate went to the polls." "That's a reflection upon the citizenship of the community, I'll admit, but how are you going to remedy the situation?" "Repeal the law and go back to the old custom. Heaven knows, the old style of running an election was rotten, but this is worse. I'm for smoking everything out in the open and everybody taking a hand. The old-fashioned stand-up and knock-down method of campaigning had it's drawbacks, but it en thused the citizens, they all had their say, and the candidate always got a run for his money. There was no chance of losing an election by default those days." I "There's something in what you say but you can never repeal this law." "All right, then the law ought to be amended." "How so?" "By compelling every citizen to vote, on penalty of forfeiting the franchise for failure to exercise the right." There is considerable in what the Ward-Heeler said, although his alterna tive idea is not a new one. Way back in the days of the old Greek republic, when Solon was charged with the duty of revising its system, he advocated compulsory voting. His theory was that the welfare of a representative govern ment rested primarily upon a full and fiee expression of the electorate, and that this was the only practicable means of determining the will of the ma jority. In this respect, it is quite possible that the ancient law-giver, if ho were alive, could give this community a few pointers in politics that might prove highly beneficial. XAM quite certain that the many friends of Colonel (they will remember Ills' as "Major" in the old days) Stanton who read the WEEKLY will be delighted to read the following tribute to their old friend. The poem 4 first appeared in a French periodical called "La Quinzaino de Guerre," a copy of which was forwarded to the editors of the San Francisco TOWN TALK who essayed to translate it in the following fashion. It will be recalled that Colonel Stanton was assigned to General Pershing's staff and accompanied him to France, where ho seems to be as popular as ever. ' According to all reports, "Major Charley," besides being a first-class soldier and an honor to the American contingent, still manages to hold his own in a social way. His dashing, irresistable manner makes an especial appeal to the senti mental French people, and so he has become a great favorite wherever he goes. But it must not be undei stood that Colonel Stanton is leading a butterfly life. The record goes to show that he has been infinitely more than a decora tion since setting foot upon French soil. How he came to be celebrated in the poetry of France is a pretty story In itself. It all happened this way: The Fourth of July was observed by an appropriate ceremony at the tomb of Lafayette in the famous Picpus cemetery in Paris, the French and Amoricail officers participating in the exercises. General Pershing had been expected to speak, but not being much of a talker himself, he detailed Colonel Stanton to represent him. It is needless to say that our old friend rose to the occasion. He did more than that; he rose to the heights of eloquence and fairly swept the im pressionable Frenchmen from their feet. It was his now famous utterance: "Lafayette, we are here!" so splendidly chosen and just as splendidly ex claimed, one can imagine that touciied the hearts of those who heard him and inspired the poet to pen this beautiful tribute to the Colonel: TO COLONEL STANTON! jH " I H Not spangled words in wreaths of flowers set, . , But sharp quick words, like sword thrusts, I hold dear j ; M A speech like that at the tomb of Lafayette: ! j "Lafayette, we are here!" jH H A soldier's salute saying all that Americans feel, M A gesture that laid before France her homage fraternal , jl What has rhetoric to add to the truth, to the vibrant appeal jH Of that speech by the Colonel? - IH 'Tis an eloquence pithy and terse, abrupt but precise; t ijH A language for men whose business is fighting, not barter f v - , H Bonaparte framed it to phrases laconic, concise He got it from Sparta. il i lH 'Tis the diction of heroes; its sense goes straight to the soul; lfl It is simple, sublime, it says all; lilc,o a bugle note clear . 1 It electrifies, thrills, calls the mustering roll, fH And the soldier cries: "Here!" Ifl Yes, they are here, Lafayette! So to hell with the foe, t H The cut-throat, the Kaiser who'd fasten his yoke on the free! , M In the grave where you He can't you see, can't you hear, can't you know, j M Freedom-loving marquis? H Do you heed them, these glorious words, that take wing and are swift , i M In their flight o'er the field of repose where your vigil you keep? ' I M ' Oh, how more compelling than old panegyric to lift v I M A hero from sleep! M They are here for the hunt of the monster on land and the deep! ' M They are here, and we fold them in ardent, in grateful embrace. H Without heat, without brag or fine phrases fine phrases can keep H They are come for the chase. H They have sworn! And at sight of the star-spangled banner they raise ' H Already the emperor-bandit has weakened and quailed. H Their dreadnaughts acknowledge a debt of the old frigate days H When Lafayette sailed. H The New World returns the call that was made by the Old; H Not unheeded the lesson that History spread for her eye. H The seed that was sown long ago is ripened behold, H The harvest is nigh. H They are here! Lo, the Union of States in the battle for Right, l H Bringing vigorous strength and a heart that is steady and true; H They are come to serve Liberty's holiest need, and to fight jH Side by side with Poilu! I M They are come to our aid in the hour wo need them the most; H They are come lest Right be dethroned and Evil enshrined; ' H For love of sweet France they sped o'er the sea, to our coast, H And love of mankind! ' H Never fear that America fail in the glorious task; H She'll accomplish the woik to which Honor directs her no fear! jH Colonel Stanton has spoken; remains theie aught more we should ask? H No! "Lafayette, we are here!" H In commenting on this poem, Colonel Stanton, in his letter, to the editor of H TOWN TALK, allows his thoughts to run along in the following characteristic H fashion: "I never flatterd myself that it was as a fighting man I had been se- H lected to come to France, but I did have the hope that possibly it was on account H of my ability in the finance line that a place was made for me. Certainly the last thing that occurred to me was that whatever prominenco I might obtain H would come from the gift of gab." H Then speaking of the poem itself, the Colonel goes on to say: "I cannot B read this poem myself, but I am told it is veiy '?ood, and let lis hope that tl js H a fact. It only goes to show that we never know what a 'day VttttSaffbyWi M and that each man in his time plays many parts." " Hf&TW H