New-York tribune., 1906-09-18
MORE CANDIDATES FOR COVENTRY


We fear there is some pertinency in the re-
mark OF the Hon Roger C. Sullivan that If he
is TO be Ostracized for mixing business with
politics there are other eminent Democratic
statesmen who ought 10 be elected to keep him
company. He has no idea Of being chased off
into the wilderness as a lone scapegoat There
must be other expatriated leaders, other Cat
Hines without a return ticket Mr.. Sullivan
seems 20 think well OF the Hon. Joseph w
Bailey as travelling companion; and the pOlit-
ico-legal activities OF the Texas Senator. lust
disclosed IN a lawsuit at st. Louis, certainly
qualify him for high rank in Mr.. Bryans purga-
tOrial colony. Mr.. Bryan laid down the bald
rule that no man who was connected with or
employed by corporations seeking public favors
or exercising public or semipubllc functions
should be allowed 20 hold Office or fill sny post
Of influence In the Democratic organization. On
this ground. among others he demanded the
resignation Of Mr. Sullivan as Democratic Ma
tOnal Committeeman from Illinois. But on this
ground he will also be forced 10 demand the
self-immOlatiOn Of Mr.. Bailey; for Mr. Bailey
though In theory rampant enemy of predatory
corporations, has apparently in practice earned
a fortune by sitting in their councils and sus-
taining them with politicolegal advice.
In the Senate, near the close of the last ses-
sion. Mr.. Bailey made an elaborate speech de-
Tending himself against the charge that he had
used his political influence TO advance the in
terests of the Standard Oil Company. The ex-
planatiOn was not luminous. and from an ex-
animation Of all statements pro and con It
would appear that Mr. Bailey. after the Stand
ard OIL Company was bIacklisted in Texas
helped 10 secure its readmission and restoration
10 grace under the guise OF subsidiary indie
pendent company now shown 10 have been con-
trOlled by Standard Oil 1t also appears that
the head Of this decOy company subsequently
intrusted % Mr.. Bailey's management vast rail
road, mining and other interests in Tennessee
and gave him various opportunities for the ex-
ercise OF that talent for fortune building which
the Texas Senator had left neglected I'm his
more distinctly Jeffersonian days These opera
tions may not disclose any ground for charg-
ing Mr.. Bailey with personal or professional
improprietieS. He did not choose as he said in
his own behalf. TO stand alOof from business
Just because he was a Senator. He was not
one Of those public men, he declared. "whO- think
they have 10 remain poor I'm order 20 be con-
'sidered honest" He was able 20 discriminate
between his official role as the defender OF pub
lie interests against corporate aggression and
his nOn-Oficial role as the adviser and agent OF
corporations. Undoubtedly. under JeffersOnian
tenets as interpreted up TO September, 1906 the
Texas Senator could have justified both his
business sagacity and his political orthodoxy
But old things have passed away. and since
Mr. Bryan's speech in Chicago denouncing Mr..
Sullivan the activities OF Democratic statesmen
have suffered a startling limitation They must
hereafter keep not only their conscIences but
their associations void OF offence. The contain
ination OF corporation influences must be
Stunned and a new standard Of austerity set I'D
in thought, speech and behavior. The Demo
cratic party is to become pure in heart and cir
cumspect I'm conduct, and its great constitutional
lawyers will have 10 go back 70 the habit OF
hOuting corporation retainers and dying poor
in office. We have already said that this reform
will cut deep. But Mr.. Bryan is an axeman who
doesn't care where the chips fly. and as Mr..
Sullivan suggests. there are many noble trunks
awaiting him il he wants To get busy One
victim hardly establishes a rule Why not en-
force the new regulation by starting a whole
coachload Of out-of-date Democratic statesmen
on the high road n Coventry?