The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-11-16
vERY Ed PRECEDENT.

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The following is an editorial from
the New York Sun Of November 2:
The speech delivered last night by
the secretary OF state is without any
precedent in the history OF the coun-
try. An election is about to take place
in this state and the people are called
upon to choose between two candi-
dates. At the supreme crisis Of the
campaign the federal executive feels
itself imperativeIy called upon to in
terpose with all the moral force and
influence at his command in favor OF
one OF those candidates and against
the other. The whole weight, dignity
and authority Of the national admin
istratiOn are exerted in an extraOrdi-
nary appeal. One candidate is APPROX
ed and commended to all our citi-
zens. and the other is denounced in
terms which, while temperate in form
and judicial and dignified in tone, can
be regarded only as destructive when
addressed to sane and patriotic men
NO episode in our history can com
pare with it. The president OF the
United States is speaking He is doing
50 in no individual or personal capa-
city, but as the nations head clothed
with the traditional power Of his ex-
allied Office. He has chosen the sec
rotary Of state, one Of the most hon
ored and iIIustriOus figures in our pub
lie life, as his mOuthpiece; but it is his
utterance; and OF the fact there is no
disguise.
Read in this light, and there is
none other in which it can be read, it
has no place in the pOIemics Of a poll
teal campaign It is something Who'll
IL apart from the heat and passion Of
contests, a note Of warning so impress
sive and startling that it must call
halt in the progress Of mems minds
not only here but throughout the
whole country
when it has been read and ponder
ed, and for long thereafter, all
thoughtful men will wonder what sin
lister and baIefuI influence it is that
has brought about that grave and Ia
mentable condition Of the public
mind, which has made Hearst even a
passing possibility, nay, an actual and
potential menace"
The Suns editorial, while it seems
to approve Of the presidents course,
because the election of Hearst is con-
sidered a menace admits that it is
without precedent" and with which
no episode in our history can COM
pare" The precedent is an extremely
bad one, and breaks down all our
ideas Of political propriety- Suppose,
now, that the strenuous president
~ OF
from his partisan standpoint, what
binders a bad president, for the sake
Of political success, following the pre-
cedent he has established
a lifelong and stalwart republican
recently said TO the editor Of this pa
per that ROOseveIt's Interference in
New York state politics, in the man
ner that he did, was without preced-
ent, and that for such interference he
should be criticised and severely con-
demned by the American people He
also said that, probably, he had a sell
FISH and personal motive for the &C
ton taken, as it had been given out
that when his presidential term was
out, ne wished TO represent his state
in the United States senate.
To put it mildly this episode, view
ed from any standpoint, is bad
omen, q bad example; and exceeding
" to be regretted by all prizing the
welfare Of the republic above party
and partisan success
On the finger board Of time it points
backward to monarchy and a dictator
ship. It is q presage Of the man on
horseback" the rough rider" the
big stick and Capitalization OF pow
er in one man rule.
This is far worse than the election
OF Hearst as governor Of New York
for two years could possibly be.