The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-10-06
tBy John E. Lathrop In the Oregon

CHICAGO, Oct. Cit is candid
religious faith and business connec-
tions during the past few weeks have
been thrown into utter confusion in
the national campaign.
Disclosure has followed disclosure.
Reputations have been shattered.
hitherto unquestioned character has
been interrogated.
In 90 years of activity in village,
town, city and national politics. l free
Iv confess, such a situation as this
ono never has before come under my
observation.
Here in Chicago, where are the
headquarters of five parties-demo-
cratic republican, prohibitionist, So
cialist and Observation-Disclosures men
Of national prominence gather to at
tract little attention, because of the
nlethora of such visits, 100000 people
are at sea, if they be proper criteria
whereby to judge the electorate of the
nation. then is it true that the voter
is asking, in the language of one fa-
nous railroad magnate year or so
ago:
Where do l stand?
Under these conditions. to guess who
will be our next president is to ope-
rate on quite as sure a foundation as
if TO guess what will be the direction
of the wind next Sunday.
All at Sea-
II may be Bryan: it may be Taft; of
course il will not be Hisgen or Chafin
or Debs.
But as to which-Taft or Bryant
men long in national politics in their
personal conversations admit:
We don't know We are in the air..
In the Harvester building, taxing
with leading republicans, in the Au-
dtorium annex, conversing with prom
inent democrats, in the hotel lobbies,
at the clubs. in the boarding houses,
in the homes, people read these dis
closures and ask:
What next?"
Babers confusion compared with
present confusion is as days clarity
over against nights murk.
Partisan zeal. in my opinion, lies at
the bottom Of all this turbulency.
note that men active in the. advocacy
of one candidate. shut their eyes
obvious truth regarding the question
able character of one of their con-
freres. and accept on slightest asser-
ton all the bad alleged against one of
their opponents
Going over the list of those active
in both camps, and by this time 1 have
had time to cover the ground quite
in both are men whose political past
smells of corruption betrayal of the
people, debauchery of the electorate
by all the devilsh arts of latter-day
politicians.
Issues Swept ASIDE.
One fact comes from this babble of
charge and counter -charge-thls cam
paign has become one in which the
ethical transcends the economic. Spe-
cific issues have been swept aside
Tariff, bank guarantee, the trust ques-
ton considered from the economic
Viewpoint. Imperialism, finance all
such issues have been swept aside,
and there remains only one-the ethl-
cal
1t is impossible, even were the wish
to be the father of the thought, TO
claim that the makeup of the demo
cratic fighting force is all that migm
be desired.
Likewise. none may claim without
being ridiculous, that the republican
national force is aught but honey
combed with betrayers of the people.
Somel of US turned to President
Roosevelt, scarcely admitting it in our
Seal for party, to ask him in our con-
Iaslon: Can You point us the way!
The answer was that same sort OF
paFuSanship which has laid at the
bottom of all this trouble.
We turned to him, because he was
not candidate, and perhaps he could
and would indicate the way.
For answer we got prejudgement on
"e evidence submitted by a man
"hom he excoriated two years ago by
MS secretary of state. Mr. Root. as the
murderer by indirections of the late
NJ. Mckinley
Oil and Party.
he told us that Standard Oil had
~ptored the democratic party, because
'sooth, some men who had been as
A'ed with Standard Oil were al
seu TO be connected with this years
1elnocratic fight.
e went farther down the record
mund that Mr.. Roosevelt had ap-
On N'ed Mr. Finkleburg, a Standard
,"'torney, as a federal judge.
Bryan was charged with know
mat Mr.. Haskell was attached
encourage Of Standard Oil; we
oD learned that Judge Taft had rec
t.eiueh Mr.. Boyle. Standard Oil at
an ~ ior federal judgship, knowing
:. TINE Of his clientele.
,srnu vas charged that John E. Lamb,
bas5'Falliy in charge of democratic
rsjls4uafters, was attorney for many
cba,sas; then thanspired that
rsnrse Nagel, placed in charge of
s,aaan headquarters here. is now
adDo;.a dSSndard Oil attorney and Mr.. Nagel
ar wa was hurled at the democrats by
soma,s.rs edrst that Mr.. Haskell had had
Si,nan. to do with one of the con-
aotoria' aot's Of the steel trust. Yet it was
as us ssU. that Mr. Roosevelt now has
er Psant pPsslstant secretary of state Rob-