New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-04
THE INSIDIOUS ROORBACK.
CAMPAIGN LIES CAUSE POLITICAL
MANAGERS MUCH TROUBLE.

MANAGERS MUCH TROUBLE.
The last week of Presidential campaign Is
known ''roorback week" and managers the
various headquarters and their friends are
stantly on tho lookout for campaign lies. The
word 'roorback," to designate fictitious story
published for political effect, and as a parliament
terry term for campaign lies had its origin in the
Clay-Polk campaign in 1914. "A lot of matter
was published at that time" said old politician.
lin the interest of James K. Polk. in which Henry
Clay was roundy slandered and painted IN false
cOlors. There were about one-tenth truth and nine
tenths lies in the matter. The matter appeared
under the title. Travels OF Baron Roorbach.'
'Roorbach became roorback few years later,
and ever since then the big campaign fakes. the
whoppers. the lies by which great masses of votes
be made, have been called roor5acks. and
RoorbaCh has become the political Munchausen.
But II is injustice TO put the two in the same
class, because Munchausen's tales simply
amusing stories, while the roorback is invented
for the purpose of deceiving the and OF gain
ing his under false pretence.''
There has been Presidential campaign
since that time in which the roorback did
make its appearance. The most notable
the Morley letter in the Garfield campaign. This
letter published in a newspaper called
Truth October %. 1880. and purported to be
a statement by General Garfield the question
Of the employment of Chinese labor in which the
Republican candidate took sides with the Chinese
and against the majority of the people of the
West. On the following day Mr.. Garfield tele-
graphed from Mentor. Ohio, TO Marshall Jewell
and S. W. Dorsey:
Il will not break the rule I have adopted by
making public reply 10 campaign lies but I au-
thorlze you denounce the so-caIed 'Morey
a bold forgery, both in language and sentiment.
Until its publication l heard of the existence
Of the Employers Union Of Lynn Mass, or of
such person H L. Morey."
The Morey letter although II was the work ac-
cOrding 10 Mr.. Garfelds words, "of some clever
villain who cannot spell or write English initiate
my handwriting created much excitement, and.
despite the fact that efforts made show
that il clumsy trick. it made many votes
against the Republican candidate.
The publication Of the correspondence between
Charles +. Murchtson. of Pomona, Cal, and Lord
Sackville West in the closing days Of the Cleve-
land-Blane campaign, was not d roorback because
the circumstances were true. but it has always
been counted among the celebrated campaign
lodges. Murchison had written 10 Lord SackviIIe
West, stating that he OF English birth, and
still considered England the mother country. and
asked the British representative for advice as TO
how he and his friends should vote. To this letter
the British Minister replied from Beverly, Mass.
that any political party which openly favored TING
further that the Administration knew this and
5fteG ,acGorqingy Pat ne adylssd A Murchison and
MADE public. by the man who received it probably
without any intention further than TO aid the
cause Of Grover Cleveland, but it had the effect
OF turning many irish votes against the Democratic
candidate, and resulted in tho dismissal of Lord
Ut BurcHdrG famous sentence, uttered In the
rum Avenue Hotel at the meeting OF clergyrnen
IN the Blaine campaign. probably more widely
circulated and with better effect than any roorbaCk
that Was ever invented. and to guard against
been the custom since that time to submit cam
paig1 addresses TO competent persons for tnspec-
ton before allowing them to be delivered.
In Indiana where elections always hOtly
tested, the rOOrbaCk has been resOrted 10 more
tensve!y than in any other State and voters
constantly on the lookout tor its appearance In
party in power had expended much money in
making street repairs. some OF which were locked
u2on a. unnecessary. and speakers had been urging
voters to The of office
on the day before the election sent
about equipped with engineers Instruments, who
went through the motions of taking measurements.
ments We're TO be put down all over the city. The
people indignant, and showed their dspleas
ure ny voting against the party in power the next
day. nor knowing that the pavement scheme
practical roorback.
The crop OF roorbacks has been large in this
campaign, and has kept the press department at
any importance was the statement from a Western
source to the effect that President Mckinley had
EXPRESSED himself against the existing pension
laws. Then came quotations from alleged RooSe-
say that u man who took part IN strike should
he stood up and shot These roorbacks had hardly
Feared in Philadelphia paper. and the eX-Presi-
dent made say that the election would be a
Bryan landslide. Then the MetcaIf denial had 10
be sent to brand tho Auburn coercion story as
a clumsy roorhack. and Senator Bevertdge found IL
necessary tn telegraph all over the country that
the statement credited To him that there would
b. nc a Rryan landslide, was an outrageous ana
THE number and the quality Of roorbacks," SAID
a prominent Republican worker. shows the co!7'-
ton Of the other side. and, judging by the great
number that they have eudeavored 10 circulate in
the last weeks. feel that they are in a
desperate condition.