New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-22
THE HENDERSON INCIDENT,

T,o,oora+ie managers cannot be blamed for
seeking TO make campaign capltaI Out -
Sneaker Hendersons rather labored anu un
convincing efforts to Justify his REFUSAL 10 az
cont the denomination for Congress offered MIN
nv his Iowa constituents. At the stage OF ue
ikction and listlessness which the Democratic
canvass had reached any hint Of division OF uii-
certainty in Republican policy was sure 10 oe
hailed with the liVeliest sense or graLtuue ~
Chairman Griggs and his assistant lailoo"
chasers at Washington. Such hint was uN
doubtedly given in the Speakers conIuseu anu
,pvstifying charges that Republican sentiment
in the Dubuque district was so unGeu Win
free trade heresy" that he could no longer
Faithfully ref,ect If in Congress through either
his votes OF his counsels. Whatever may nave
boan tba actual motive Of Mr.. Henderson
abr7,nt withdrawal from the field OF poiltlSs' 1t
&c useless TO DENY that his published eAplaha-
+io- furnished some unexpected crumbs or coin
fort 70 a Democratic campaign management
desperateIy in need Of tired 1eeInS plcA
49,, wa doubt. however whether Chair
man Griggs and his political alds VIII hllu III
Sneaker Henderson's confession OF ahenatloh
from Iowa sentiment any very effective weapon
Cor can,naisn use The extravaganza Of the in
terpretation put by the Dubuque districts KEEP
resentative on the consistent and moderate
tariff declarations Of the Iowa platform is TOO
annarent to deceive even the most unennght-
ened Mr. Henderson was known to have OPP
posed the readoption this year by the Iowa ke-
publican State Convention Of the platform &C
cented without question or comment year ago.
But after the State campaign opened ne had ap-
nsrently agreed with other Iowa leaders that the
tariff theories reaffirmed at Des Moines were In
no sense a departure from accepted party doc
of Iowa RpnuhllcanS.
held at Des Moines on September Mr.. Hen
derson was reported by a representative OF
The Chicago Record Herald as saying:
If had had my way about it, would not
have adopted that clause about sheteTlns
-nononolv simply because do not want a whls-
per OF suspicion of the purity or the nolheT ol
1,rosnerity But we can all stand on this plat
forrn IF there are monopolies under the tarlff,
no man can object 10 this plank But IL Is an
subjunctive- IF We find upon investigation lha'
the tariff is wrongly used. we VIII correct IL
Between this view, which accords entirely
with Republican theory and Republican prac-
fire. and the Speakers contention in his let
ters and statements Of September 16 that
changes in the tariff schedules can be justified
nv no conditions, present or prospective. it is
imnossible to trace any practical or logical con-
nection. In his latter assertion Mr.. Henderson
| breaks entirely with the traditions and spirit
of the protective system. He speaks his own
| oninion only and the Democratic managers VIII
find that the more they exploit that opinion the
| more they will emphasize its irreconcilablllty
| with the Republican party's past or present atu-
| tude Mr.. Hendersons recent utterances IN
| doubtedly convict him Of fragrant error OF
! personal and political judgment. But they are
/ not likely to cause any serious embarrassment
TO a party which in no sense subscribes to their
authority or value