what he meant and to a certain extent sympathized with his
at-
titude regarding democracy, as expressed by the referendum,
initia-
tive, and other methods of effecting legislation by the popular
will. William Allen White also called his attention later to
the
same need of greater clarity and definiteness in his views regarding
the Courts. Theodore’s own explanation
was exactly as I have fore-
cast it to you; but the effect produced on me was that it was still
rather an "indigestaque moles," - an ethical social idea not yet
properly worked out. After all, although our constitutions may be
too sacred white elephants, the distinction between altering them
in the regular way and by popular votes on specific cases decided by
the Courts is a little vague and has served incidentally to throw
the property owning class and all reverers of our institutions into
pink fits.
That Theodore is not
[question mark in the margin] in earnest and sincere, there is no
room
for doubt in my mind. People who hate him,- and their number is
legion in our walk of life – credit him neither with sincerity nor
honesty. But it seems equally clear to me from my humble point of
view that he has made a great mistake,- an unnecessary and possibly
fatal blunder, which for the time being at any rate bids fair to
destroy his value as a great national political asset. He might
so easily have waited. To have declared that he would not on any
account accept a nomination this year,- even though he had
simulta-
neously disclosed his radical views – would have kept him on the
pedestal from which at the moment he appears to be dethroned, and
shows him also more magnanimous. At the same time it is to be
re-
membered that he has the reputation of being the most far-sighted