The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1907-08-27
A Palpable Hit.
rom Omaha World-HeraId.

The entire lack Of faith that charac-
terizes Henry Watterson's attitude
toward Mr. Bryan has never been bet
ter disclosed than in Mr.. Watterson's
recent comment on Secretary Taft
Mr.. Watterson pretends to be "per-
sonally friendly" to the Nebraskan
and to be opposing him only for his
own good" and for the good of the
party He is against him not because
Mr.. Byran is not a good man, but be
cause he "laeks availability. - He
lacks availability because he,has been
too frank. too outspoken. He has ex-
pressed himself too freely and openly
living question. and so has alienated
this man, offended that one and dis
gusted the other. Therefore, accord
ing to the Kentucky Colonel, he won't
do; he can't be elected.
4 Very well Let US see, then, how
this disinterested. unprecedented and
protestingly friendly critic applies his
own doctrine to on opposition candidate
-Mr.sTaft. In his paper of August 13
he comments en- Republican protests
against Taft,s defining his position on
the tariff. Republicans are. afraid che
+ will be SO unwise as to dwell upon the
expediency Of a tariff reduction. 4"
Says Colonel WattersoD, ''In their view
this would be terrible. 1t would hurt
the party and weaken Taft as a politi-
cal chiefly" 49,
Now what does Colonel Watterson
think about it? Surely not that Taft
should disregard the warning! Surely
not that he should be frank and brave
and honest with the voters! Surely
not that But just listen to the Wat
tersonian verdict:
Secretary Taft is one of those
strong-minded men, who, being for a
thing, does not hesitate to say so; there
fore, being a tariff revisionist, the
chances are that he is not apt to make
any effort to conceal the fact. 1t may
weaken him with the party managers,
who like to see the campaign funds
roll in, but the people-the independent
voters who know something about the
evils OF tariif-are likely to he pleas
ed.
Listen again!
at is a great trick of politicians
nowadays to do what is technically
known as playing both ends against
the middle. " Now, If Mr.. Taft could
or would resort to the trick he might
get the lofty and honorable fame of
being brilliant, cunning anG success
full politician. To- hear some folks
talk, nothing could bel more splendid
than to be 4 smooth politician, no mat
ter what sort of public official such a
politician may be-"
And listen again-for the further we
read into the colonel's program for
Taft the more heretical it becomes:
1.-The trouble with Mr.. Taft. how
ever, is that he seems to be one of
those peculiar persons who dare to pre-
fer to be honest rather than shrewd-
who would rather be statesman than
a politician.
Can it be that the Henry Watterscn
who wrote this is the same Henry
Watterson who has been ENORMOUSLY
scoldings Mr.. Bryan because he would
not be politician rather than a states
man? Can this be the same Henry
Watterson who would have Mr.. BRYAN
shrewd rather than honest? Can this
be the same Henry Watterson who is
soreiy aggrieved because Mr.. BRYAN
will not be cunning and smooth?''
Is it possible that this great Ken
lucky mention of Democracy Ewouid
prefer Democratic leader little and
cowardly and mean, while at the same
time he commends, with every evil
dence Of sincere and manly feeling
the frank and honest and courageous
course for Republican leader?
If this is, indeed, the pitiful attitude
of Editor Watterson of Kentucky as
it seems to be. there is no escaping the
conclusion that. with one party or the
other. he is not counseling in good
faith. And the question now arises
which party would he deceive. Or is
he only man driven by some IN
guessed and hidden motive. into pIav.
ing horse with his own convictions?
Railroads and Politics