The sun., 1908-08-22

damage, where the object lesson win DO
most apparent TO the Republican party
national 90 well a. State-and Taft is their
target. The plain fact IL that an Iowa Ne
publican could live In Elmira and never be
homesiok; the Wisconsin progressive would
hardly miss Battle Bob. the carnage 10 90
glorious.
Yet humorous es are many phases OF this
local situadon--snd 1t IL by no means nspureiy
local-in the end there must arise the ques-
ton; Whore 10 sll this leading tor Instead
OF Republican activity for party advantage
there 10 nothing but activity in destroying
Republican prospects. nothing but party
disintegration. pickering. snariing. fight
ing--the majority Of Republicans on one
aide. the whole body Of party workers on
the other--both elements busy opening new
breaches In the party rampant One side
10 threatening TO out the State tokets the
other 10 bolt the national ticket. and both
sides are making public proclamation OF
purpose that was onoe called treason.
In the end the observer after two weeks
In the field begins to wonder II any Repub-
lioan on State or national ticket will have
a chance II this thing-this dght--is TO be
protraotsd much longer. Day by day
Democrato confidence is growing. and CO.
incidently the Republican apprehension
that Bryan may carry the State is expand
ing, Scores Of Republicans have expressed
their private opinion to THE SuN's corre-
spondsnt In the last few days that New
York ives again doubtful-doubtful on the
national ticket. Hughes or ant-Hughes.
this fight has gone to the point now where
Il seems perfectly obvious that Mr.. TAFT
must foot the bill for broken china and
that there IN going to be broken china now /.
however the squabble comes out.
Because the anti-boss issue has been
injected alongside Of the Hughes issue
there is the growing conviction that moth
Ing short Of a clear cut and decisive defeat
for Barnes, Woodruff, Fassett and the rest
Of the bosses viii leave the slightest chance
for Republican victory in the national
campaign. For Fassett. Barnes. Woodruff,
Odell and the rest Of the bosses have made
themselves the issue Of the campaign to
tho utter exclusion not merely Of Hughes
but Of Taft. One does not have to wander
outside OF little Elmirs to feel this, but
II may be found elsewhere quite as easily.
As for tho Hon. J. Sloat and his Oyster
Bay utterances 1t is necessary to be CHAR
or ugly words. even to omit any mention
Of the 1John and L telegram. which will
be remembered almost as long az certain
coat that was once taken OF with sad
consequences. The local view. moreover.
at least among the Fassett following, Ia
charitable. II is this:
sNot having been in Elnira for so long.
Of course you can't expect Sloat to know
what the real sentiment here is. 1t is
just possible that he may believe what he
said
How utterly inaccurate the Fassett in
terview was as presentation Of Chemung
conditions. however. can be proved by half
an hour spent In Elmira. Here are two pre-
dominant emotions, neither Of which was
described In the Fassett interview; the
first. ID pro-Hughes and is widespread. the
second is anti -Fassett and explosive. One
may add that there has been perfect fusion
OF these emotions. and with this addition
the true situation In Chemung is not hard to
gather.