Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-04-01
A "Pretordan Guard 4"

"In any case this fencing about of an
American president with safe guards
against violence, as if he were a Rus
sian Gar or a Byzantine Emperor, will
seem & Notifying confession to thor
ough-going believers of the magic
effects on national character, of free in
StitutiOnS ~ Perhaps
when our panic over the red specter'
has subsidized we shall realize that re-
gard for truth and decency in political
controversy, by the speakers and news
papers of both parties will do far more
than the new tangled Pretorian guard
for the safety of our president. Mil
waukee Sentinel.
A regard for truth and decency by
the speakers and newspapers Of both
political parties is very desirable
thing. But if those of us who are old
enough should spend a little time in re-
calling what has transpired during the
last forty years, we will easily recall
that such thing as regard for truth
and deceney by either newspapers or
speakers has not existed during that
period as to men, or measures, politi-
cally. Farther if we spend an hour or
so reading the political history of our
gard for truth and decency, in the same
particulars, existed in the days of Wash
lngton, and that no president or can
didate for the presidency was ever more
indecently and untruthfully reviled
than was Washington. A regard for
truth aud deeency by partisan news
papers and speakers has never existed
in this country, when discussing poll
ties, and if we wait for its solvent. as
better protection than this new
tangled Pretoriap guard" % the lives
of our presidents during their term of
office, the Pretorian guard need have
no fear of losing its job until the mil
lenium appears.
Aud yet, Notwithstanding the vile
and untruthful calumny that has been
habtually used in this country by
newspapers and speakers in the discus
sion of politics, or candidates, or office
holders, man in the chair OF president
has been practically as safe from assault
or violence as any other citizen until
quite recently. And the Sentinel truly
says, elsewhere in the editorial from
which the above quotation was made,
that this fact has hitherto been the boast
of Americans and the constant wonder
of Europeans. So it has; and as 1t
seems clear from our history and eS-
perienee that this very diSagreeable
change in conditions is not to be laid 10
the Incorporate utterances of news
papers or public speakers, the sooner
we begin to look for its res; cause the
sooner we viii be on the right path to
find cure. Something DOUBTLESS may
be attributed To the cut of anarchy
which until recently had no foothold
here or elsewhere And senle blame
we fear may be laid.at the door of those
who think it good form to scotf at the
Declaration of Independence, and at
what they are pleased to call THE
provincial ways of our government
before we entered upon the business of
becoming what they are sgsiu blessed
To call "A World Power These pso-
Pile. while soothing at what Americans
once took pride in as "AmericaniSm'
and as the true American policy. are
over anxious to adopt almost anything
that is European. They furnish au-
Srchists the only argument they have.
or could possibly have. TO spply their
tenetS 10 the United States.