The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-05-04
A Defense that Convicts.
New York Star,

New York Star.
John Wanamaker's defense is, like
his offending, Enthusiastically ven,
al. The earnestness and length OF
the exculpAtory articles published
in his interest are graduated by the
amount of patronage received or ex.
pected from him by the journals that
have become his champions. Nat
urally the press Of Philadelphia is
favorable to that city's heaviest mer-
camille advertiser, and elsewhere pa
pers that profit by the publication
Of postal notices are ready to say a
good word for the man who uses
public authority for their benefit as
well as his own. This support
seems to give Wanamaker long odds
in the fight he is infatuated enough
to make against outraged public
sentiment; but "what are you going
to do about it?' some time ago ceas-
ed to be winning appeal in Ameri-
can politics, and in the multitude Of
over-zealous advocates there is con-
fusion and exposure instead Of
safety.
The defense Of. the Postmaster
General embraces two branches:
first, the course of Wanamaker's
concern is a fneritorious and even
praiseworthy piece Of business en-
terprise on the part Of an establish
ment not at all under John Wana-
makers control; second, Postmaster
General John Wanamaker disowned
and repudiated that course, and
caused it to be discontinued, as soon
as public attention was called to it.
The eager defenders of Wanamaker's
reputation and their own pockets do
not stop to consider that their de-
Tense proves altogether too much,
and that their second proposition
demonstrates the falsity of their first
one, and fastens upon their client
the -offending with which he is
charged.
The Philadelphia Press, contain
ing more than four columns of Wan
amaker's advertisements, business
and official, declares that the infa-
nous circulars to postmasters ais
legitimate and proper way of push
ing trade" The Tribune of this
city, principal organ of the Repub-
can machine and titular defender of
the Harrison administration, says:
The circular is exactly similar to
those that have been going out for
ten years past to country store keep
ers, including those who happen to
be postmasters.
The Sun, ready to help the Re-
publicans in this contest, as in every
other in which Republican advocacy
pays well, chimes in with this.
The Postmaster General himself
says: THE Wanamaker Il Brown
house isn't my house at all. l hold
little stock in it which they haven't
paid me for yet, but that's all the
connection / have with it, This
exonerates the Postmaster General
entirely.
If the Press be right, why should
Wanamaker hasten to protest that
he has no part in house that only
pushes trade properly, while at the
same time confessing his participa-
ton in its profits as stakeholder.
The 7ribune's plea is obviously un-
fair. The circular was addressed to
'postmasters, not to storekeepers,
and it expressly invited postmasters
not in business to become Wana-
makers "sales agents." giving to
that employment time they can spare
from official work. The circular to
postmasters is a new device, not an
old business practice. As for the
Suns swift verdict of exoneration, it
is decisively refuted by the context
of its own article, which simply
shows that money made through the
postal "sales agents goes into the
pocket of the Postmaster General.
If Wanamaker were disinterested
and blameless, what would be the
sense in his making this whining
plea:
The newspapers ought not to make
it impossible for business man to
attend to his business in the usual
way after he has accepted a public
office.
No subsidized quibbling can lessen
the fatal force of the just charge
against the Postmaster General
John Wananaker and his brother
proved the case against themselves
by their inconsistent statements and
fatal admissions before there was
time to concoct defense. The de-
Tense now tardily interposed is one
that convicts. 1t renders it more
than ever imperative that President
Harrison should instantly turn
Wanamaker outof office. If he does
not, he will himself be justly held
responsible for a most scandalous
and criminal degradation of one Of
the country's highest positions.
How 'sProtection" Protects.
The Bellefonte Pa. Watchman
says: Last week the railroad coal