They were trained in a wrong school, and they cannot forget their training.
Clay hardens by immobility--men's minds by standing pat.

Both lose the power to take new impressions.

Many of the old-style leaders regard the political truths which alone insure the progress of the Nation, and will hereafter completely dominate it, as the mere meaningless babble of political infants.

They have grown old in the belief that money has the right to rule, and they can never understand the point of view of the men who recognize in the corrupt political activity of a railroad or a trust a most dangerous kind of treason to government by the people.
When party leaders go wrong, it requires a high sense of public duty, true courage, and a strong belief in the people for a man in politics to take his future in his hands and stand against them.
The black shadow of party regularity as the supreme test in public affairs has passed away from the public mind.

It is a great deliverance.
The man in the street no longer asks about a measure or a policy merely whether it is good Republican or good Democratic doctrine.