New-York tribune., 1906-08-27
A MISOARRTAGE IN LOGIC.

Logic is getting some hard knocks nowadays
I'm Massachusetts,. The Democrats of that state,
like the Democrats of Illinois and New York.
are strong on formulating political premises
but when they try TO apply their logic they get
only non-sequitur We called attention week
ago TO the thoroughly scientific plan OF cam
paign laid out In Massachusetts by the Hon.
Josiah Quincy. Mr.. Quincy had been somewhat
annoyed by the pernicious activity OF the hon
]. B. Moran. who purposed stampedlng the
Democratic State Convention and having HIM
self nominated for Governor. If Mr.. Moran
was 20 initiate in bay State politics the role OF
the Hon. William r. Hearst, Mr.. Quincy was
not prepared to illustrate the Christian forbear-
ance Of the Hon. Charles F. Murphy. On the
contrary, he had carefully put local William
Traverg Jerome in training, who was also TO
consent to run" at the psychological moment.
This candidate was the Hon. Henry NJ. whit
ney, who had narrowly escaped being elected
Lieutenant Governor last fall, and had thereby
proved his qualifications as a vote-getter and
man Of destiny.
Mr.. Whitney agreed with Mr.. Quincy In read
ing the signs Of the times. He was sure that
he alone could crush the pretensiOns Of Moran,
carry the state and redeem the party So con-
vinced, indeed, was he Of the accuracy of his
second sight that he cheerfully took the public
into his confidence. In a statement issued
week ago he said:
Last year I became the Democratic candidate
for the office cd Lieutenant Governor for the sole
purpose OF giving the people Of Massachusetts
an opportunity TO have referendum vote on
these vital issues 1.-THE dragooning OF Canada
into reciprocity agreement and the revision OF
the tariff for the benefit OF certain Massachu-
SettS industrieSl While success was not quite
achieved. the result was highly encouraging. II
would be false modesty on my part to fail to
recognize that the vote which 1 then received
makes me the logical candidate for Governor
this year If the same issues again to be
pressed, provided that General Bartlett our ex-
cellent candidate OF last year, does not desire
the denomination to which by courtesy he is
entitled Finding that he does not desire to run
again, have reluctantly become convinced that
only through my candidacy can the issues which
have so much at heart be saSeguarded for the
future.
Everything completely lovely and completely
logical" But logic is sometimes a balky horse
20 ride In politics, for there We're leaders in
the Democratic camp in Massachusetts Obtuse
enough not to realize the binding force of Mr..
Whitney's syllogism The Hon. John r. Thayer,
OF Worcester, was illogical enough TO remark
that Mr.. Whitney would make better candi-
date for Lieutenant Governor than for Gov
ernor; and, instead of coming to the new man
OF destiny's support Ex-Governor William A.
Douglas dropped q gentle intimatiOn that he
might himself run for Governor again If the
field were cleared by the retirement of the two
gentlemen "contending for the nomination"
Mr.. Whltneys faith in logic was not proof
against these shocks His candidacy lasted only
seven days. Then he renounced his mission and
put his canvass into the hands of a receiver.
He is now in Canada, and the issues which he
had $50 much at heart and which were to be
ASafeguarded for the future only through my
candidacy" are left houseless and homeless.
Chaos and unreasOn rule, and Canadian pre-
sumption in postponing reciprocity must go un-
punished until a new balance Of logic is struck
in Massachusetts,