New-York tribune., 1908-10-07
4 RROKEN REED.

The measure of Mr.. Chanler as q man Is
pretty clearly indicated in his career Two
years ago he was the candidate of l1earsfs In
dependence League. To-day he is the candidate
of Bosses Murphy and COnnerS. Two years ago
he was running on a platform asserting the I'M
portance of independence. To-day he Is appeal
ing for votes as q strict party man. Two years
ago he was an extravagant radical or the
Hearst type, making speeches from the same
platform with Hearst and doing his utmost TO
further Hearst's election. To-day he is before
the voters OF reactlonary platform drawn TO
DIease RYAN the master of Murphy.
If he were a man Of independence, force OF
character and real earnestness Of purpose, Mr..
Chanler would not change sides whenever an
opportunity for Office presented itself, and he
would not stife his convictions to please Hearst
or Ryan or Murphy or Conners OF any other
gatekeeper on the road to preferment. Can any
one imagine Mr.. Hughes, for instance II he
were a Democrat running once with Hearst on
a Hearst platform and next taking nomlna-
ton from Murphy and Conners on a Ryan plat
form? If the Democratic candidate were man
of real independence. he could never have got
the nomination at Rochester, for Murphy and
C0nners are taking no chance of having a
Hughes on their hands. If he were man or
that sort, his speech of acceptance would have
showed it. He would have spoken out bravely
against bossism and government by pull In
stead. he lodged these great issues in which
the people of the state are keenly interested, and
incidentally revealed himself as consulting with
Boss COnners over his speech Of acceptance.
What kept him silent about bossism and gov
ernment by pull except the knowledge that he
is the bosses candidate their hope against the
reforms Of Hughes, and the candidate Of pollt-
ical reaction. as we'll as of financial reaction,
who will restore the old times to Murphy and
Conners, as well as to Ryan and his kind? If
he Is q man of force and independence, what
made him dodge the issue of direct primary
nominations? Why couldn't he speak out? If
he had repUdiated Murphy and COnners de
noupced bosssm and stood up for the system of
nominations that would end It. he would have
created the impression OF being his own man.
That was the only course he could have taken
II he had been his own man. Similarly, If be
had been q man of force and independence, he
would have rejected the Democratic platforms
attack upon the Public Service Commission; but,
no. he accepted that whole platform and care
fully abstained from thinking g. thought or eX-
pressing an idea not to be found in it, and so
as to be sure he had not transgressed by indi-
viduaI and independent thinking he sent the
speech TO be passed upon by Boss "Fingey.'
If the state chooses Mr. Chaner as its Gov
ernor, It will not be under the illusion, fOstered
by his expressed admiration Of Governor
Hughes that he will live up TO the Hughes
standard and carry on the Hughes traditions.
Mr. Chanler has neither the brains nor the will
of the present Executive. Like many another
man In public life like the chief Of his own
party, for instance, he either has no convictions
or values Office and preferment above principle.
Such man would be plant instrument for
those who have these honors at their disposal.