Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-19
THE PARTY AND THE MAN,

THE PARTY AND THE MAX
The political lesson drawn from the
Henderson resignation has been mos.
forcihly taught. No man is so neces-
sary to his party or so secure in his
public position that he can assume to
be greater than his party or stronger
than public opinion. For years Mr..
Henderson has been a great man In
American politics, slltho possibly not SO
great in actual craftsmanship. He
grew arbitrary and dictatorial. While
ne spent his time in Washington MS
people thought out problems of public
Importance in their own way and when
a considerable number of them united
in petition to their congressman they
were rebuffed by reply which sounded
to them like a scolding to the effect that
II am Mr.. Henderson, the speaker OF
the house and great man. know
much more about this matter than all
Of you and your effrontery in questions
ing my Judgment is insulting. The lying
press must not be believed" Oficourse
this is not what he said, but it is what
his constituents thought he meant, and
the result has been that dissatisfaction
60 spread over his district that he saw
he could not be elected and withdrew
rather than suffer defeat.
To observers outside the Third dis
trict 1t has never been apparent that
Henderson was doomed to defeat, but
since the withdrawal evidences have
arisen on all sides to indicate that the
republicans in the very counties which
were vitality necessary to his success
because of their republican majorities
were going to quietly knife him. Their
only grievance was that they We're tired
CT Henderson because he assumed to
know more than everybody else. 1t is
to the latter's credit that he should be
the first man to discover the situation.
His telegram to Hepburn about Water
loo and the two republican papers there
that would not support him discloses
the real reason for his sudden retreat.
Had he been wholly frank and given
this as q reason he would have retired
with the plaudits OF the entire state.
But as he made mistake when he
insulted the intelligence Of his constitu-
vi - Inc 1a
committed greater error and n more
costly one to his reputation when he
threw consistency to the winds to ex-
cuse his retirement on the grounds of a
great principle In which he could not
agree with his party. His own letter
to the public proves the excuse lame
one. He says:
ITO show how strongly the repub-
lican party feels upon this subject in
Its state platform this year, it declares
in favor of any modification of the tar
iff that may be required to prevent af-
fording shelter to monopoly. Our DEM
Ocratic friends treat this as moving into
free trade grounds. 1t is nothing of the
sort. It Is bold declaration that II
notifications of the tariff are required
to prevent monopoly from sheltering it
self under the wings Of protection, then
the tariff shall be modified to prevent
that condition. For my part. IL any
great interest in this country is pros
ipering thru protective policies or any
other legislation and is using Its adj
yantages, growth and prosperity to
do. - AY,,o ioov no for
am ready to strike it by whatever legal
means we may be able to adopt, pro-
vided that In so doing we do not hurt
innocent interests.
Manifestly this is the position taken
by those republicans responsible for
the adoption of that platform and Hen
derson will have to search many coun-
ties to find any republicans out Of
harmony with him II this expression
fairly states his position.
At Des Moines on September he
was vigorous in his affirmation that
There is nothing in the platform can
not advocate" and his campaign prepa-
rations had already been made, SO Sem
ator Allison says, and Governor Cum
minis had given promise to campaign
in his district. There was nothing in
harmonious about the platform until
Mr.. Henderson heard Of the expected
Boies rally at Waterloo and the dis
affection among republicans. LATE
Young's explanation that Henderson
grew tired Of playing the hypocrite is
too thin to be Opaque. This first
thought to dissimulate and then to be
overcome by revulsion Of conscience
might arise to confuse a man in ex-
planning fake interviews, but it can
hardly be attributed to Mr. Henderson.
The wish is father to the thought. This
telegram to Hepburn must be accepted
tas the real cause: .You have no idea
OF the situation here. Why, in Water
LOOM Waterloo, for which got a
s15o,000 public building-two repub-
.lican papers are opposing me, and pre-
pairing campaign of personal abuse
and mud singing, go so far as to show
personal hatred. ID. B. Henderson"
The Times Republican is extremely
eorry for Mr.. Henderson, since this is
the end of his political career. We