The Lamar register., 1907-01-30
Men and Their Parties.

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lodging summonses and writs OF ne
sxeat regnum which has prevented
Edward II. Hartman from denying
responsibility for one Of the most i'm
politic expressions ever attributed to
4 wise man2 In the course OF an
article discussing the president,
written by James Creelman and
printed in one of the most widely
circulated magazines, the relations
Of the Hartman group with the ad-
ministration are reached and touch
ed. Mr.. Creelman reports a con-
versation in the course of which Mr..
Hartman had expressed a convic-
ton that Roosevelt must be got rid
of "at any cost" 1t was suggested
that to reject the Roosevelt policies,
in the present state of public opin-
ion, might lead to the election OF
Bryan or Hearst. Mr.. Hartman
was asked il he wss prepared for
that. The answer sscribed to him
makes one of the most significant
uttersncss appearing in . long time.
YES" said Mr.. Hartman, passion
ately: "rll take Bryan or Hearst
rather than Roosevelt. I'll take any
one rather than Roosevelt, for if it
comes to that, we can get at the
other crowd"
This is the expression Of great
truth, but we wonder that it should
have been made by Mr.. Hartman,
even when speaking "passionately."
It is worth reading more than once,
worth reading between the lines,
worth reading for what it reveals of
the understanding and experience Of
. strong man speaking in the hot
blood Of an unguarded moment
When it is read in this way, the final
and immovable impression it leaves
with the mind is that it is not COM
parison of men, but Of parties.
Which means that no matter how
great and strong and resourceful and
courageous president may be, un-
less the party which has elected and
become responsible for him is great
and strong and resourceful and cour-
ageous enough to make its opinion
felt in support of his policies, he
can be defeated through division in
its Legislative councils; through the
betrayal of its voters by their chosen
representatives, and through wide
swread corruption which shall para
lyze 1t for the performance of any
high public duty. 1t is not, says
Mr.. Hartman, a question of men,
but one Of parties. The party which
elected and has sustained Roosevelt
is not to be trusted by 'the interests"
which could better afford to support
Bryan or Hearst as a means Of put
ting the democratic party in power.
"For, il it comes to that" said he,
I'VE can get at the other crowd"
A more damning indictment than
this of the democratic party has
never been spoken. But it is not
new. There are men who have left
that party for good, and whose eff
forts are bent toward its destruction
as the first step toward the creation
Of party of opposition in American
politics, who saw, under the last DEM
ocratic administration, the great rise
Of "the interests Mr.. Roosevelt
and his party are now called to fight
The president Of that day was con
trolled by "the interests" and though
in the congress, there was much
sound and fury concerning many IT.
relevant things, results showed that
''the interests" had found a way by
which they could "get at the Other
crowd" In all the previous years
Of our national life monopoly and
privilege had never laid such strong
hold upon the government as during
those two years Of undivided demo
cratic control at Washington. En-
eroachments begun at that time lee
to the growth of evils with which
the republican party, led by the
president, has had to deal. How ef
fectively it has dealt and is dealing
with them was never better told thar
in Mr.. Harriman's sententiious "If i
comes to that, we can get at tn,
other crowd" And what a flood o.
light this throws upon the rush O
the conservative" democrats for tn,
Rpuan hand xro-@r Ioak