The San Francisco call., 1908-10-04
STRIKES At BRYAN,
HITS TAFT'S PARTY
Amusing Mistake Made by the
Omaha. Bee in Editorial
Against the Democrat
Paper BIames Nebraskan for
Tariff Views Quoted From
Republican Platform


FAIRvIEW, LINCOLN. Neb., Oct s.
There was much amusement at Fair
view on the receipt of tho Omaha pa
pers today. In yesterdays Omaha Bee,
published by Victor Rosewater, mem
Der of the republican executive COM
41fittee and head of the republican pub
licity bureau, there was an editorial
criticising in vigorous language an ex-
tract from a supposed speech Of Bryan's S
on the tariff question. The words COM
planned Of in the editorial were:
In all tariff legislation the true prin-
ciple is best maintained by the in1posi-
tion OF such duties as viii equal the
difference between the cost OF produc-
tion at home and abroad. together with
reasonable profit to American indus
tries.
In regard to this the Bee said edi-
torially:
Nothing prettier in the catch-all line
has been offered in this campaign. The
most hidebound stand patter in the
country can accept that as satisfac-
tory and the rank free trader can
find delight In it. The declaration
legislate along that line would simply
open the way to interminable wrang-
| ling as to what constitutes "a reason
able profit for hair splitting on
material in another. rebates and draw
backs in a third and so on through the
list of thousands of articles that are
now on the tariff lists, Under such a
vision, at Bryan's direction, would
serve only to halt industrial and conf
mercial progress and keep business un-
settled during his term of office.
MISTAKE is EXPOSED
This mornings World Herald shows
that the words complained of are not
part of any speech OF Bryan's. but a
part of the trust plank of the republi-
can platform. and that the head of the
republican publicity bureau and mem-
Der Of the executive committee of the
national committee had, through the
editorial columns of that paper pub
lished by him, severely criticised~o
of the planks Of the platform on which
Taft is running.
When Bryan's attention was called
TO the Omaha World Herald editorial
reproducing the Omaha Bees attack
upon the republican platform, he said
l am very much surprised that Mr..
Rosewater, who is the editor of the
Bee and also member of the execu-
tive committee OF the republican ma
| tional committee and the head OF the
bureau OF publicity, should have at
tempted to misrepresent my position.
A good many unfair things have been
said, but nothing more unfair than that
said by Mr.. Rosewater To accuse me
OF using the language of the republi-
to apologize for this injustice and ex-
plain to his readers that the LANGUAGE
! which he criticises was taken from the
republican platform and not from any
speech of mine.
AR. Rosewater is right, however, in
making fun of the language He is
! right in saying, Nothing prettier in
! the catch-an line has been offered in
! saying that the most hidebound stand
/ patter. in the country can. accept that
as satisfactory and the rank free trader
can find delight in it,
He is right again in saying that the
| declaration means simply nothing and
/ again is right in saying that 'an at
1 tempt to legislate along that line would
simply open the way to interminable
! wrangling as to what constitutes "a
reasonable profit for hair splitting on
wages in one industry, prices of raw
material in another, rebates and draw
| backs in a third and so on through the
| list of thousands of articles that are
now on the tariff lists"
BRYAN MADE HAPPY
But I hardly expected from him so
| frank confession as Is contained in
| the last sentence of his editorial:
| Under such a proposition, an attempt
at tariff revision Che says at Bryan's
done at Taft's direction2) would serve
| to halt Industrial and commercial prog
! ress and keep business unsettled dur
| ing his term of Office
/ This is rich find. 1t shows how alb
/ surd the republican platform looks to
q republican WREN the republican has a
chance to look at it in a disinterested
way. When Mr.. Rosewater thought
/ that the language quoted was taken
/ from speech of mine he could see
/ how ridiculous the language was /
/ hope that his opinion of the language
will not change when he finds that he
was shooting at his own party instead
! of at me.
The amusing blunder of the Omaha
| Bee suggests new diversion for the
! campaign. Let the democrats accuse
| me of using various sections from the
republican platform and from Mr. Taft s
| speeches and see how the republican
editors will ridicule the language.