The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-09-15
wATTeRsoN ANsweRs.

YORK Times, Sunday August goth. has
received the official Democratic
answer. Colonel Wut.erson, through
respect for those who should revere
and do honor to the memory CT the
iilustrious dead. makes his answer
plain and strong He charges one of
two things: The purported letter a
rank forgery. or written when the
mind of the chieftain had wandered
from the moorings of sanity. From
HIST TO last the Watterson epistie is
worthy of being read
In its issue for Sunday, the Goth. OF
August. the New York Times published
what purported TO be "a last word"
| from Grover Cleveland to the people cf
the United States. This bore the gen.
eral caption, Grover Cleveland on the
campaign and his prophecy of its re.
suit. In a fore.note II was stated
that just before his death Mr.. Cleve-
land planned the writing Of three
articles On the presidential campaign
OF 1908. The first article was TO be
general discussion OF the political field
The issues and the men; the second
was to deal with the Issues developed
by the conflict of the two parties. TO
appear in September; and the third
was to deal withe the doubtful states
this to be published shortly before the
election. The first article was finish
ed. Whether he made a beginning on
either of the other articles IS doubtful,
as no trace of either has been found
among his papers The first article is
published by the Times today by an
"a N % "a
agent and Mr. Frederick S. Hastings
the executor of Mr.. Clevelands estate.
BY those most familiar with the sit.
uation and Mr. Clevelands methods,
habits and condition at the time this
writing Is alleged to have been made
disoredit was at once thrown upon the
authenticity of document so loosely
sponsored, In the first place, the ex-
ecutor Of Mr.. Cleyelands estate is not
Frederick. but Frank Hastings.
whose wife is a niece OF Mr. E. c.
Benedict, In the second place the lit
erary agent was known TO be an ir-
responsible person who had hawked
the matter IN at least two newspaper
offices before he sold Il to the Times,
Offering il for a ridiculonsly small sum
of money, considering its yalue-if
genuine--to the Republican campaign
committee Finally, there seemed In
ternal evidence that il was not an
cmanauon Of the Cleveland brain and
pen.
But no one was at hand al once TO
disproye t. Mr. Parker. Mr.. Cleyc-
lands secretary, was off on his yaca.
tlon Mr. Frank Hastings was off on
yacht Mrs. Cleveland was beyond
the reach OF telephone or sire. Why
ten days have passed, however. with
out some authorized statement Il Is
not easy to divine, unless the Benedicts
are allowing their devotion to Taft TO
override their loyalty to Cleveland; be-
cause in every possible way, the matter
as 1t stands Is hurtfpl TO the name aud
fame Of the late ex-president
Grover Cleyelands bitterest enemy
could want nothing more hurtful In
this article, written before the nomi-
nation OF either Taft. or Bryan. Mr..
Cleveland is made 10 anticipate and
assume the nomination OF both: he is
made to appear the ardent and famil-
lar friend of TAFT whom there Is rea.
son 10 believe he personally scarcely
knew. II he had ever met him at ali
and he equally anticipates aud as
snmes the extinction 1fthe Democratic
party which will poll not less than
seven million OF votes al the coming
election. and has considerably more
than a fighting chance OF sweeping the
country, being better united than il
has been since 1892. when Mr.. Cleye
land himself was it's victorious nomi-
nee.
The New York Times. with an ig.
norance horn OF malevolence and
malevolence In total disregard OF Mr..
Cleveland, singled out and specified In
bold type Two extracts from this al
legged Cleveland screed. all unc nscious
OF the bligat put thereby upon Alr
Cieyeland's sense ami Judgment. alike
with his sense OF gratitude and pl0-
Fgiey The first OF these reads as
f0llows
Mr. rafts EXCELLENCE as federal
Judge Is not 10 be oreremphaslzed. his
.hlgh ideals OF honesty and Justice are
valuable anu conlmendatOry"
THIS Is moi Ike Mr. Cleveland. ltl
sas not his wont TO slop over in per
- fsi adnlsHop nor is il characteristic
1Df cerain prudence and reserve
which usually marked his writing thatI
ne should thus surrender the convic.
lions and the connections of life.
lme tor the sake OF a public man
IKE Judge TAFT, or an issue such as our
insllar possessions and our freign
policy II Mr. Cleveland did this his
mind had gone astray, enfeebled by
illness and quite oyershadowed by ap-
pfoaehins DEATH but there Is good
ground for the belief that az the time
tAis matter Is alleged TO have been
written Mr. Cleveland was In no con
diuon 70 write any thing. INDEED. /;
reads As n pfriftt.r. =. A. ar. IA =, ~ l.r..,