The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-04-09
The Federal Machine in New York.

The Federal Machine In New York.
Mr.. RoosEvELT's prodigious proficiency
inthe art Of political chicanery is disclosed
with convincing force in his own State.
Beneath the cover Of a generous sentiment
attributed to Mr., TAFT, which implied that
there was to be no undermining Of Cover
nor HUGHES, that hewasto be undiBturbed
in the enjoyment Of his full quota Of dele
gates, New YOrk's favorite son finds him
self to-day bereft Of his following.
= Even the perfunctory and negligible
compliment of the presentation Of the
name OF CHARLES EVANS HUGHES in
behalf Of his State in the Republican
convention may be denied him, While
we have had reason all along to regard
Mr.. HUGHEs's candidacy as illusory and
have known that the Federal machinery
would be corruptly manipulated against
him, il has appeared otherwise to a great
part Of the public and 10 Mr.. HUGHEs's
many friends. We cannot compliment
the Republican party upon the achieve
ment, complete as it is. On the con-
trary we make special and unreseryed
prefer Of our hearty contempt!
II Mr., TAFT ever said that he desired
that the Governor Of New York should be
left undisturbed we do NOT for a mo-
ment question his sincerity and his hon.
esty. It is possible that he did 50, but
we doubt it. To us it has more the aspect
Of one Of those Machiavellian works OF
art which the Associated Press and
other su%bservient il unconscious agencies
disseminate with such assiduity from
Washington. We hold Mr.. TAFT az
wholly above that sort of thing. His
sincerity and righteousness cannot be
impugned. If hc were cast tomorrow
for the part of 0thejo he would straight
way not only black himself all over but
he would eat a whole huckleberry pie.
Acting a lie and deliberately profting
out Of a lie is something that is impossi-
BILE to WILLIAM H. TAFT. 1t belongs TO
a higher order of geniuS than his.
According to Washington advices Mr..
TAFT has seven-eighths Of the delegates
to the national convention. Why, then,
this intense effort, this frantic anxiety
in his behalf? Why (Mr. %RoosEvELT's
deplorable letter to FFoULRE 10 the
contrary notwithstanding this turbulent
activity Of the immense army Of Federal
oficeholders and Federal spies? II the
people are 80 overwhelmingly for the
Dseudo-candidate, why all these schemes
to raise money, these projects TO license
corporations, to issue letters Of marque"
10 ma!eiactors and predatory plutocrats
for a consideration; to repeat, in fine, the
blackmail and eKtortion Of the year 1901?
The press has told how Secretary
TAFT's brother, CHARLES p. TAFT of
Cincinnati, has contributed so far $3.50, 900
toward the expenses Of the campaign.
We do not believe anything Of the kind.
II is true that the gentleman in question
IL one Of the most generous and warm
hearted Of men and earnestly desires his
brothers success, but we have not
known and deem it impossible that
WILLIAM H. TAFT has been conducting
that sort of a campaign. In the event
that Fate under the wireless guidance Of
Genius should ~acquiesce in the Chicago
programme, how nearer than a brother
to the Great this profoundly astonished
Mr.. CHARLES p. TAFT would be!