The National tribune., 1907-10-03
THE PASSING of G. w. FAIRBANKS.


tail is measured by so modest a sum
as Is cents, or two for a quarter. 1t is
the mildest- and, least noxious of whisky
| tipples. rankingi about with a glass of
beer. Regular whisky and beer drink
ers scorn it as too feeble and feminine
for Grown7up men.
! Any 'regulaE'' regards the cocktail
with the tpue mBnly tlisdain with which
a cigar Oh pipe'' smoker looks upon 4
cigaret.
/ All the same Il cocktail has wrecked
a promising career as efcctually as
whisky or beer could. A week ago
Vice President c. W. Fairbanks felt
sure OF receiving the Republican NOM
nation for President. 1t is true that
his confidence was of that untru5t-
worthy kind which is likely to buoy up
every candidate. but he had it all the
same, ard there were thousands of his
supporters quite as ssnEuire as he.
To-day there are very few nen in the
United states who think that he has n
ghost of a show for the nomination. As
the pugiiists say: Hes taken the
count, and is a dead 'un.''
And it is all on account of some
| thoue htless cocktails.
That is. Mr. Fairbanks was thought
less when he served them TO the Presi-
dent and party. They have been very
productive of thought ever since.
Just why C. w. Fairbanks should
aave ever aspi-ea 10 the Presidency hos
been puzzle to thoughtful mon.
While he is a man Of excellent charac-
ter. of more than fair abilities, Il
smooth and successful politician, and
satisfactory crater fer popular gath
erings, these qualities alone are not
sufficient to arouse a Widespread de-
mand for his elevation to the chief
Office in the Government. Men of that
calibcr abound in every State
Mr. Fairbl7ks has been prominently
rcfore the public for many years nov
IS Senator from the great State OF
Indiana and Vice PTesi lent of the
United States. As a candidate for Pres
!dent he has spoken to great audiences
/ in nearly every State Of the North and
West. While all his speeches and acts
nave been safe, conservative and hishly'
espectable, he has never and nowhere
uttered a single striking th3u sit- form
uiatad a declaration viii, L laiI hold
On peoples minds. suggested step for
ward in any direction, strongly i1enti-
fed himself with any Tnoye.nant or leg
islation, or showed decided attachm en-
| to a single vital essential principle. His
| stcrilty in this way ;as been na3st re-
markalie. Few -len in his position
could haye escaped :ayins or doing
something, somewi,ere wh.c.l wouid
have struck popular cho~I ara
caused him to be re=,eiH Sarel.
Mere i4neCiedre, negative goodness.
no matter ho+%, well sustained and uai-
FORM. d62s I'd, make aa-i President
luaN-e aE2 toa active-mildcd. progress
sive. agsrq@slYc a people TO desire such
colorlcss peFaonality for leader. We
dearly i3Te for leader man who has
strong c8pvicHons, and the courage Of
them. n,
Mr.. Fairbahl,s's main strength has
been the beilzfsthat he had behind him
the grett. militant, intensely earnest
Methodist Evi,lSGal ChurCh, with its
| 10000 minister's its active membership
Of 1000. eco. and probe bly, two or three
times as many more who would be
counted as Methodistsi in any general
rou ld-up of our people on church lines
Methodist3 are ne7 VINO make them
selves strongly felt in every community
advancement. Every man of them
can be relied upon to promptly take his
place on the firing line and stay there.
They are therefore mighty power in
politics. ~.
1t was to his leadership OF the In
diana Metho5ists that Mr. Fairbanks
owed all his success in politics.
Fut, like all great popular organiza-
ltioIs, Methodists insist upon having
leaders who really lead. They are like
soldiers. who insist that their Colonel
shall set the example.
A fundamental part of the Methodist
is belief in falling from Grace" Thi,;
as a rule is steraly applied from high
est to lowest as "misbehavior ia the
face of the enemy is in the army.
Most decidedly the Indiana Method
lists believe that Mr.. Fairbanks fell
from Grace when he had cocktail;
served to the President and party. In
their unfinching, unrelenting. uncom-
promising fight with the Drink Demon
every man must fright dress" on the
Prohibition colors. and not wayer Il
hairs breadth. The insidious little cock
tail with its minimum of whisky, mo-
dicum of sirup and lemon peel, and
maximum of high-colored but leathery
cherry was an enemy thrust through
their line of battle, and swift. stern.
Methodist Episcopal justice was meted
out to the recreant.
| 1t was confidently expected by his
| friends at the Indiana conference that
Mr.. Fairbanks would be elected by ac-
clamation a delegate to the great
| iQuadrennial Methodist Conference.
There were IS candidates for the seven
places on the Indiana delegation. In
place of being elected by acclamation,
his candidacy was put to a ballot. On
the first ballot he received but 70 of
the 81 votes necessary to elect. This
rapidly dwindled in the next ballots,
till on the fifth he received but 35, and
his name was withdrawn.
| Charles Warren Fairbanks. fell with
dull sickening thud and was dragged
out of the political arena.
A stronger man than he. a man with
more magnetism, a man whose person.
ality, convictions and ideas had twined
him around the hearts of the people
might have survived this blow Not Mr