The National tribune., 1907-10-31
MR.. FA.RnaNks,s CASE.

The reaction has come in the case of
Vice President Fairbanks. and great
many men and newspapers are saying
the victim of unjust action. Senator
Culberson, of Texas, says:
Vice President Fairbanks is being
unjustly criticized for that cocktail af-
fair. The impression which certain peo-
pie are trying to create that Mr.. Fair
banks is not temperate in his habits is
conteIn ptible. l know the Vice Presi-
dent, and 1 can say that, unlike certain
members of the Administration, he OBJ
serves all the rules laid down for the
guidance of man by some of the people
who are censuring him. There are peo-
pie in public life whose names are IA
miliar who are open to the criticism
which has with no warrant been direct
ed at the Vice President. 1t is doubtful
whether the cause of temperance is ad-
vanced by the methods which have been
used with regard to Mr. Fairbanks"
The Houston Post Is a Democratic
paper. and not fighting Mr.. Fairbanks :
battles. but it says:
Personally he is a clean, sincere. up
right, dignit;ed Christian gentleman and
abste:nious m every respect. No man
in public life is less subject to criticism
than he when il comes to question of
living. and if the cocktail
incident were one that really nIerited
any explanation from him, we have no
doubt it would be found that he knew
nothing of the presence of the cock
tails until he went to the table,"
The Methodist press is not at all
pleased with the way that Mr.. Fair
banks has been treated. The Western
Christian Advocate, of Cincinnati, says:
"It is unfortunately true that when
a man. however high in principles and
conduct, is embarked here in America
in politics. he must expect all sorts OF
newspaper attacks, however unscrupu-
lous and damaging His opponents vii!
argue that all IS fair in war or politics,
and be he as chaste as ice, as pure as
SNOW. he shall not escape calumny.
'Tis true. it's pity. and pity it's. 'tie
true But noble and fair-minded
man who has stood 5y his church ought
not to find the friendship Of that church
fail him in the hour when he is put
before the world as a hypocrite or a
merely nominal Christian"
The Northwestern Christian Advo-
cate, of Chicago. says:
1T is greatly to be regretted that
party prejudice and consideration OF
some OF cur ardent Prohibi:ionists. un-
der inspiration of some state workers,
not members OF our Church, combined
with n few men whose personal ambi-
tions as candidates for General Confer
ence. were supposed to be jeopardiZed
by the Vice President, made them ut
iterly Indifferent to the larger interests
of the Church in being represented by
a clean. capable. Christian man, and
withal the Vice President of the Ma
ton. To this end q persistent personal
canvass was made OF the delegates.
elect. The action of the conference
thus obtained was greatly regretted by
the Presiding Bishop. the official visit
ors of the conference and most of oui
ministers"
All this is rather wide of the point
banks's public and private character
was not immaculate. No man in pub.
lie or private life is cleaner than he
But Mr.. Fairbanks is rather negatively
than actively good. and the only reason
that any man could have for preferrint
him to another candidate of equal abil
ity and high character was that he rep
resented that great army which marches
under the banners Of the Methods
Episcopal Church, and would receive it
support. When this WIS Withdraw
from him il practically finished his as
pirations He is lacking IN persona
magnetism, and is not sufficiently idcn
Titled with any great principle or move
mcnt to make good the loss from tn
ldefectioa of the Mcthodists. The cock
tail incident was in Il way a cruelt
and AN injustice. but 1t was politics, an
the men who most severely condemn
him for having cocktails served wer
livery largely men who put on the;nsclve
no restraint in the use of cocktails o
other beverages. They simply foun
this flaw in his armor and made III
most OF 1t, precisely as would be don
in a race on land or water. Anythil
! that will throw one of the contestant
out is made use Of to get rid of his com
lpetition.