The Washington herald., 1908-06-01

Louisville, KY. May 3l.-Editor Wat
torson. in an editorial bearing the cap
ton Wherefore" will say tomorrow
in the Courier-Journal:
The Republican newspapers cut a
sorry figure in the matter Of the Bryan
Taft correspondence touching the pub
lclty bill
Many Of them go the length OF claim
ing the Burrows letter as a triumph for
Taft and a non sequitur TO Bryan. These
are impudent enough, or ignorant enough.
whichever way one cares to take them,
to say that Bryan laid for hare and
caught cat In other words they claim
that seeking TO put Taft in a hole. Bryan
merely gave him an opportunity by the
production Of a voucher a month old TO
vindicate mis- integrity and to set him
self heroically before the country.
Mark how two simple questions shall
put this shallow falsehood to rout; how
chanced the Burrows letter. il it were
honestly intended. to remain in conceal
nlent: and. smoked out by Mr.. Bryan.
why has neither House Of Congress
though a whole legislative week has in
tervened-failed 10 act upon it?
The first thought that enters the mind
OF the average Republican newspaper
writer is Of sharp practice Mr.. Bryan.
they one and all declare. expected 10
catch Mr. Taft mapping; instead. he
caught a Tartar. The record contradicts
this fatty. when Mr.. Bryan wired Mr.
Taft he already understood. through a
statement OF Senator Chandler, of New
Hampshire. that Mr. Taft was in favor
cf the publicity bill 1t was upon this
hint that he invited Joint appeal TO
Congress.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Letter.
He could not know that there was
letter lying in Observation-Disclosures
prepared and quietly pigeonholed-for
service later along, when, Congress hav-
ing adjourned. II could be produced with
a flourish as evidence that Mr.. Taft was
as much in favor Of publicity as Mr.
Bryan. But this circumstance. discredit-
able only and alike 10 Mr. Taft and SEN
ator Burrows. cannot be cited against
Mr. Bryan. who. seeing by the newspa-
rers that Mr. Taft was like himself. in
favor Of the publicity bill, proposed in
good faith united effort TO get Congress
20 pass il.
Congress is Republican. Taft is 10 be
the Republican candidate for President
II the Republicans have not resolved 10
repeat the outrages Of 1900 and 1904: 81
they have not made up their minds that
they can win only by buying the election;
II the old process OF blackmaillng the
trusts and frying the fat out Of the man
ufacturers is not 10 be repeated why
should Congress hesitate? But. brought
to bay why should the Jeremy Diddler
scheme OF hitching the Force bill 70 the
publicity bill have been resOrted to?
These questions cannot be answered.
for their truth no man can gainsay.
Light on the situation.
The case as it stands throws food
Of information into the actuaiities OF the
political situation. Like the headlight of
a locomotive, il Eliminates the whole
track ahead. revealing to the people pre-
cisely what the Republicans rely upon
and are going 10 do. They recognize that
Rooseveltism and Repubicanism will not
mix; that II has left them no case; that
their Congress is already a public stencil
that their inflated popular professions
were long ago punctured; that the Roose-
welt plank has broke under them; that
Taft on an antitrust platform. Roosevelt
trying to sing Bryan's song. viii deceive
nobody; that It is merely a belated repeti-
ton Of Parker upon an antitrust plat
form. with a Belmont-Ryan trade mark
in short. that their hour has come. and.
as a consequence. they wisely conclude
that there may be one more national cleo
ton hid In the folds Of the bloody shirt,
provided IL be washed in Pactoian
waters and launched by the multi-mil-
lionaires
Vast sums Already Spent.
For the Secretary of War we enter
tain entire respect. The worst that can
be said Of him is that he eagerly wants
TO be President Of the United States.
How? That he leaves in the hands of his
friends and brothers-particularly his
brothers-for they belong to the multi
millionaire class. Great sums OF money
have already been poured out to carry
the primaries. The whole official fabric
has been bent TO pack the convention. That
far, all is over except the shouting. -Four
months intervene. however between the
nomination and the election They nre
TO be employed assuring the East of
Tafts conservatism. and in bamboozling
the West with the alleged Roosevelt poli-
cies. Behind the antitrust jargon and
the mask OF liberty and popular rights.
all along the line. will stalk the purse
bearer. working the old game in blocks
Of five-maybe ten-and other familiar de-
vices Of corruption.
"Elsewise. why the failure OF the pub
licifv hill -