The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-16
GOV. ODELES CLOSE SQUEEZE.
STRAIGHTFORWARD Remarks on the subject
by q straightforward Republican.


by . Straightf0rward Republican.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUY-Sir: Election
being over and Mr.. Odell being elected
Governor let me say what withheld from
saying before election. ! voted for Mr..
Odell because I did not like his opponent
nor the opposing purity. but I did no with
reluctance. The small plurality by which
he won indicates that his little dip into
demagogy gained him no labor union votes
but lost him many others that would have
been freely given had he lived up to the light
OF his own intelligence and refrained from
'pandering' to lawlessness'
When Governor Odell went out OF his way
10 expatiate upon the claims Of the labor
unions TO consideration upon the ground
that they had proved their Importance and
title to recognition by their ability TO cut
of the fuel supply of the whole country. he
ignored. In his bid for votes-which he
failed to get-a fact that is vital to the future
welfare of this country. Did the labor
unions cut of the fuel supply? II they did
how did they do it2 Everybody knows that
1t was riot. murder. dynamiting and terror
ism that stopped the mining and transporta-
ton of coal. Did the labor unions do THAR
Right there l. the vital question. II they did
then they were truly entitled TO the degree
Of importance" and consequent claims
To consideration" and recognition which
Governor Odell accorded them. but from
an entirely different point OF view. But the
labor unions deny all responsibility for
rioting. Those secret orders claim to DO
conducted upon the highest plane Of mo-
rality. They never instigate. nor counte-
nance nor condone crime in any shape-so
they say; though they freely vote money 70
procure the best counsel 20 defend their
members In court when tried for crime.
They also expel from their unions members
who belong to the State militia, organized
for the preservation Of order
Il the labor unions are not blamable for
the commission of these criminal acts then
Governor Odelrs estimate Of their impor-
lance and ability to control the fuel supply
stands not proven But then that was not
the point MIR. Odell was solicitious about.
IL Is not pleasant TO think that a Governor
of the State Of New York looks upon
question Of this kind with the particular
slant that Mr.. Odell has divulged. In these
days OF forcible attempt to substitute the
government Of a secret order OF eelf-seek-
ers for the laws OF the land nobody knows
how soon the State Of New York may be in
the grip Of anarchy IA Pennsylvania Ia, for
have no idea the trouble there has more
than bagun
Had | not better opinion Of Mr.. Odell
than to think that IL the important issue
was actually presented he would. as Gov
ernor, let his anxiety about votes deter him
from promptly performing his duty in sup,
pressing disorder i should have voted
against him, or at least not for him. II is
astonishing how many political candidates
wabble when an election Is In view who at
other times are level headed. ] remember
that William Mckinley and his adviser, Mr.
| Ill. all. t.tta ahne
good broad silver stradde should be inter-
polated in the national platform on which
| he ran for President as 1t had been, doubt
less, by their influence in the previous
| Ohio platform. Yet at heart both Mr..
Mckinley and Mr.. Hanna were thoroughly
| safe gold standard men. and, as events
| proved. might well have stood boldly by
| their real convictions. instead OF -pander-
| ing" to the silver sentiment which was
legitimately Bryan's own. But they got
will Join In establishing silver basis! They
might as well have added: And when the
sun rises in the West. And the silly thing
was never needed from any standpoint
and was worthless even as "pander. It's
| only effect was to cause many OF Mr..
Mckiney's admirers to fear that he 40 re-
| garded the tariff the paramount question
| that he would be willing to weaken on the
money issue in exchange for his own way
| on the tariff. Fortunately the tone OF the
election cleared the SKIES on tne money
| question.
The greatest statesman. politician and
| executive In any capacity that the United
| States ever produced was Abraham Lincoln.
| He believed in the dominant common sense
| and honesty of the people and in all his
| undertakings he dared 10 hew to the line,
! let the chips fall where they would. His
was truly great personality. He never
| wavered for votes nor pandered to any
| thing save the sentiment Of human rights,
| which declares that the true freedom OF a
| people exists only when the liberty OF one
| citizen ends at that point al which the
| rights Of another citizen begin
| The whole stability Of our Government
| rests upon that principle, and to tamper
| with II or pander TO its enemies or to COM
mend it's violators, for personal gain. Ia,
| first, to nourish anarchy and afterward TO
| put fire to gunpowder. l never admired
| Grover Cleveland and voted against him
| every time he ran for Office, State or ma
| tional, but his attitude in dealing with
| anarchy had my warmest approval.
| lawlessness il an awful bad plaything
for ambitious political posers and sensa-
| tional newspapers to try to make capital
| out of. The hope Of swayinR votes by
arousinR the hatred Of the ignorant and
| the vicious through spacious argument or
| by direct or indirect applause OF lawless-
| ness, continually tempts manipuators. who
| would be wiser in most other affairs of life,
to take the risks. How little time since this
vicious practice cost the country one OF its
greatest Presidents; yet how soon IL tho
lesson forgotten. PETER c. KELLOGG.
NEW YORK, Nov. IA.