The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-26
AN uNEauAL BATTLE.


 Never within our knowledge has the Democratic party been called on to conduct a campaign against such un- scrupulous men and methods as it is now doing. During it's somewhat lengthy and varied existence the party has fought some hard battles. It has gone down in honorable defeat before an enemy that fought fairly and open- ly, and 1t has at other times been worsted by opponents that fought by unfair and underhand methods, but not once. that we can remember. has it con- fronted foe so utterly without scrupies or sense of fairness.
 William Randolph Hearst is outdo- ing even his well-earned reputation as a master of political nIght-riding am bushment and general disregard of fairness and honesty in politics. He has long been known as a high wayman in politics who would hesitate at uoth- ing to carry his point and accomplish his designs. His money enables him to purchase tools and agents to do his bidding. to pry into the secrets of oth- CTS, to violate condolences, to besmirch characters and to ruin regulations: all because resort to such methods would bring him notoriety and serve his own ends. In the campaign now being fought he adds new laurels to a crown of disreputable achievement. While his whole effort now Is to defeat MT. Bryan. he is fast making a record that is disgrace to American citizensbip.
 And. with shame be it said, the Pres ident Is fast writing himself down to the Hearst level His admirers tell us that his mistakes are due to his impet- uous nature. Others excuse his mani- fold slips by saying that he means well but lacks prudence. Such excuses are worse than no defense at all, for if we admit them We at once brand him as man unfit to hold the high office to which the people unfortunately elected him.
 It is wholly useless for Rooseveit's partisans to attempt to defend him any longer. for he has arrived at a point where attempted defence Is impotent. In his blind zeal for a candidate of his own selection, and for the continua- tion of policies for which there is not good word to be said. he has de- veloped what can only be described as absolute unscrupulousness. He makes charges which have nothing to sustain them but his own word and which carry weight only because of his posi- tion. Public men who are traduced and vilified by him hesitate to brand his slanderous charges as they would | those of any other than a President; they do him the honor to treat his de- respectfully and show him | credit by putting themselves to the | trouble of disproving his charges And, like the daughters of the horse-leech. | which continually cry Give, give," his | rancorous disposition is never satisfied, but is continually seeking new depths of abuse, vilihcation and denunciation. Hearst and Roosevelt--a pretty pair of brothers!
 And it is against such men and | methods that Democracy must fight its | battle by fair and honorable means | or disgrace itself and its adherents. It | cannot afford to descend to the low plane which Republicanism occupies to-day. It cannot degrade itself by fighting the enemy with its own wea- pons. It cannot afford to blacken It's long and honorable career by adopting the methods of the slanderer and the defamer Let 1t fight an open, fair and reputable battle. and if 1t must go | down in defeat let it go down with | honor.