New-York tribune., 1904-09-22
YOr A WILLING scAPEeoAr.

Colonel Henry Watterson is not disposed 20
take with lamblIkc maelness the castigations
ne has been receiving in the Eastern Democratic
press. He does not relish being sneered az as
an oTatoricsl 'hoodoo." Nor does he intend TO
be shOOed out Of the campaign as a convenient
and unpTOtesting scapegoat. His speech to the
recent conclaye of Democratic editors was re-
buked by The Evening Post" and other local
''saviors of the Constitution" as an unfortunate
piece OF "shirtsleeyes" oratOry. The colonel
himself was denounced as a ''swashbuckler,"
and told that his rough-andready handling Of
the "usurpatiOn issue" might be all right enough
for darkest Kentucky" but would never ''do
the work" In the more fnical and colder blooded
doubtful States"
Colonel Watterson seems beWildered, and not
a little aggrieTed, at this unlocked for condem.
nation. He cannot understand why he should
have been singled out for exile as a bungler
and blunderer. He naturally complains that
he Is & victim OF imperfect sympathy" II not
Of ungenerous and unjustifable prejudice. In a
recent issue OF The Louisville Courier Journal"
he says:
The Editor OF The Courier-JournaI' had the
misfortune TO be in the East al the time [of
The Waldorf-Astoria dinnerl: he did not volun-
sesr TO go there: he could not refuse TO sit down
az the table with his professional and political
brethren and to speak when called upon 10 do
&C. He said nothing which the independent
be pursued exactly the line pursued by The
Eaglo' and The Times" yet is dscredited by
each Oe them both refusing 90 print his very
short speech entire. and abused outright by
The Evening Post" which refused TO print any
part of e. Clark Howell OF Georgia received
the same treatment These things make useful
arguments in the West and South; that we are
bl8cklisted IN New-1ork; that there IS some
sectional feeling against Us: that personally,
polttcaIly and professionally we bear the bar
idhsTsd 'pA'''
Who win not sympathize with Colonel Wat.
terson IN his complaint? What was his Of.
feneef why were the vials OF wrath and de.
pEeeintiOn opened upon himg Simply because
in his unique way be pushed the logic of the
"usmpation issue" to its natural conclusion.
Holding, as "The Eagle" ''The Post" ssThe
Times" and other Parker newspapers pretend
70 hold that President Roosevelt IS a ''yyar
Lord" Man on Horseback, a Diaz. burning TO
"AIeGicanize" the Republic the colonel minced
no words IN 0enounelng the designs he sees, or
thinks he sees, shaping themselves in the
"lawiess" brain OF the Chief Executive. The
colonel is a strenuous thinker. and when he
starts Saving the Constitution" he spares
neither his lung power nor his vOcabularS
But as be truthfully says he follows the same
lines as the other 'sagiOrs OF the Constitution"
Why should he be blacklisted and stamped
with ''bzr sinister'9 Can IL be that In his
faeile fow OF argument and eplthet he proves
100 muehg Can IL be that in pushing the
"nSurpation issue' 60 its logical end he makes
flat issne frnnSparently Improbable and ridic-
ulausg
We fear thar too much zeal and candOr have
been the eol0nel's sole transgressions. he IS
being blscklisted" for BIS 600 guiIeIess honesty,
md be Is right IN appealing from the sentence
nassed on him By associates who lack. not