New-York tribune., 1906-11-03
TILE SOONER.

There is no humOr like good humor We
laugh at humor, if we may, but to good humor
we pay our respect as an altogether admirable
thiUg. 1t is one of the most desirable attr-
butes in society and in politics. A man who
has humor and good humor is an ornament to
life We are just getting through a campaign
where on one side the humor has been unin-
tentionally contributed and good humor inten-
tionaly omitted. The dregs of it are the bit
terest in the memory of recent American poll
tics. We commend 10 Mr. Hearst the exam
pie of Mr. Rock, the man who got the lemon.
Rock hates Hearst more than Hearst hates
every one in the universe, and with good rea-
son. too but Rock says nothing against Hearst
which should cause Rock to forfeit public re-
spect. His keen shots not verbal filth. They
humor. Rock is good humored over his
lemon, TO speak paradoxcalIy, he hates good
lumoredly.
Now, Hearst In his public character is the
most i'll humored of mortals. For his case it
seems to have been written: THE scorner is
an abOminatOn to men," He has been an
determination to men, since he began to pub
lish in New York his malicious journals, with
their i'll will against everything aud everybody.
He has not improved his ways. for his campaign
has been the abomination of denominations 1t
started out with statesmanike attitude of
bland platitudinousness. There was pointless
talk about public ownership of public property
and the private ownership of private property
But ii did not go. Hearst the statesman was q
distinct failure Hearst the incendiary was
tried in a desperate effort to give some life to
his meetings. Audiences cold to plattudes
might be interested in unrestrained abuse. The
Buffalo speech, with its cockroaches and its
croton bugs, began such torrent of verbal
slime as has never before been poured from the
stump In New York The name Of every kind
of vermin known 10 entomology has been
dragged forth from its decent retirement in the
dictionary to give novelty to his unfiagging
powers Of abuse His speeches fairly crawl
His papers have kept pace with his speeches.
Rats, mice, jackas, cockroaches, snakes car
rion crows, have enivened their pages daily. in
the last few days, when not page but sew
eral were needed for the depletion and descrip-
ton of the Hearst menagerie, journalism has
reached its lowest depth in New York Surely
it cannon be that Hearst or his editors thought
X Il sidesplitting joke to call man n rat or
cockroach? If they did, commend them TO
Rock to learn how to raise a laugh without de-
scendng to bllingsgate Where are the expen-
sve heaven born geniuseS, anyhow, whom Mr..
Hearst has IN his employ? Is their handiwork
limited to dreary abuse and mirthless vulgaritJ?
To use their own favorite words, 'do they think
the people fools TO find fun ia their abomina-
tions: What order of intelligence is it that
laughs when you call man a rat3 What order
of intelligence is it that will not weary Of per-
SStent doses of coarse abuse?
The last few days of the Hearst campaign
bear all the marks of insensate desperation
He had nothing TO win votes with. Every day
left him weaker. His ideas were all familiar
before the campaign began, and his geniuses
could not even furbsh them up into semblance
Of freshness. His wonderful political managers
turned out TO be only the average sort of in
competents. The folly and weakness of their
Tammany alliance, the folly and weakness of
their judiciary barter. the folly and weakness Of
their betrayal Of the independents. all soon ap-
parent, showed that the plotters had over
reached themselves In plotting. There was
nothing left for Hearst but TO become n bowling
dervish of venomous abuse The Slanderbunder
has been true 10 the record that he established
when he called Mckinley poltroon, and he has
made mark in this campaign which we hope
will not soon be equaed. But the Book which
calls the scorner an abomnation is not without
profitable and encouraging counsel. for it says
also Cast out the scorner and contention
shall go out yea. strife and reproach shall
cease"