New-York tribune., 1906-11-06
A CLEAR MORAL ISSUE.

The issue Of this campaign has become detin-
ltively moral issue. We have never known
the people to go wrong on moral issue The
public conscience is a surer guide than the
public intellect. That is the explanation of the
rare feeling of confidence everywhere reflected
in the election of Mr.. Hughes. Issues have a
way of making themselves. or the people have
a sure instinct for choosing the real one amid
a hundred confusions and diversions. party
cannot make the issue 4 candidate cannot
choose It He may shout himself black in the
face something which he would like to
have the issue, but the people never go off on
a false scent. The real issue will not be de-
MED.
Hearst may thunder till the votes are counted
about the Plunderbund, but the PIunderbund is
not the issue of this campaign. Hearst started
out against machine politics and machine
finance. They seemed real and live enough
issues; doubtless he would like to have kept
them the issues of the campaign. He aban-
doned one of them for the sake Of regularity,
and by that act drew scrutiny upon himself.
What sort Of man is this" people asked, who
readily dishonors his professions?" Mr..
Hughes exposed more of ''the real Hearst by
showing conclusively that in his private busi-
ness he was untrue to his professions as
financial reformer. The question OF Hearst's
sincerity came before the public and was settled
adversely to the Democratic candidate. Hearst
himself let in more light upon himself. He
sickened the state with his filthy abuse. He
made his campaign a stencil in the nostrils of
decent people. Its coarseness and vulgarity
were shocking and unparalleled He tore aside
the veil and exhibited the real Hearst" about
whom there had been so much eloquent and
mantle speculation, no one but himself could
have done He delineated himself with a mas
ter hand. Then Mr.. Root, speaking for the
President, said that the President regarded
Hearst as a danger to the state and to the
nation, and that the President In a message
denouncing inflammatory demagogues had had
Hearst chiefly In mind. And Mr.. Croker GER
tainly no squeamish authority on public morals
threw up his hands at the indecency of Tam
manys alliance with the Slanderbunder. Hearst
himself had become the ISSUE and he remains
the issue and the only issue. Are the people OF
this state going to put in the GOvernorship
noisy, insincere, Inscriptions, coarse, defam-
atOry demagogue? 1t is a matter Of public
morals, and we trust the people implicitly on
matters of public morals.
Not only was the economic issue lost in the
greater moral one, but it collapsed of its own
weakness. Hearst as an economist is nothing
but vilifer. He stands for nothing He has
no care for the abuses which he condemned. and
it is significant that In his general viliication
he never ventured to denounce President ROose-
velts treatment of the trusts. Mr. Hughes
stands for the same things that the President
stands for. That is fact which the Republican
candidates record attests and for which the
President himself vouches. So that Hearst offers
only what may be accomplished in an orderly
and decent way without him. His candidacy
merely affords the people of New York an ex-
ceptional opportunity TO insult their own intelli-
gence.
We are glad that the moral issue has come
forth clearly from all the travail Of this cam
pagn. We are glad of the great and general
confidence with which the people approach their
opportunity to deal finally with this public cor
rupter and dangerous demagogue 1t is usual
TO warn the voters against the perils and
temptations Of Overconfdence. We shall re-
frain, for every must see that an ordinary
beating won't do. Make the reputation fit the
thing repudiated. Vote early and vote straight
Don't go away shooting Do your shooting
at the polls, with an official ballot and black
lead pencil.