Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-11
REBUKED

~ MS ANGELES EXPRESS accuses
us of being unkind to our Repub-
IN lican readers, who, it states, are
numbered by the thousands. 1t lnl-
mates we should have spared their
feelings, which are already narrowed
bv the impending visitation Of Cover
nor Gillett upon the political campaign
and should have dealt gently with the
erring. All we said was, governor
Gillett will stump California for Bill
Taft. That ought to help some to
stump Bill Taft" What's the matter
with that? Isn't it true? But the
Express rebukes u.s. saying:
"Our neighbor, The Herald. para
graphically observes: Governor Gil
lett will stump California for Bill Taft.
That ought to help some to stump BIZ
Taft Thus wit declares itself at the
cost of kindness.
"a great misfortune threatens the
Republican party of Southern Cali
fornia--one that should attract to 1t
the sympathy of even political enemies
rather than their scorn. In the pres
ence of this imminent catastrophe, an
tagonism should be suspended.
1.-The Herald is a clean, wholesome
journal, read by thousands of Repub-
licans who do not share its political
views Without In any way abating
it's support of Bryan and the Demo-
cratic platform, without in any way
lessening it's hostility to Taft and his
cause, The Herald might make very
great concession. We submit that 1t is
ungracious on the part of our nelghbor
to taunt Republicans for a deplorable
condition for which they are in no way
responsible.
"It Is true that the Southern Pacific
railroad has sent it's gubernatOrial per-
son called Gillett to stump this section
of the state. We are informed that it
has been decided that he shall pretend
to support Taft. This decision will
undoubtedly work great injury to the
Republican party. Hundreds, possibly
thousands, will believe that he is sim
cere in his pretense of supporting Taft
and will be led to vote for Bryan. But
if Mr.. Hartman should change his
railroad mind and order Gillett to sup
port Bryan openly, does The Herald
believe that we should then rejoice?
Nay we would condole with its party
In its unmerited disgrace, and look
without pride on the gains that would
flow for a time in augmentation Of
Republican strength.
"Phe Herald knows that Gillett is
not a Republican, Gillett is not a
Democrat, nor q Populist, nor a So
cialist, nor q Prohibitionist, nor an
independence Leaguer-he is a railroad
chattel, Herrin pensionary, a South
ern Pacific serf IN breeches.
I'VE beg The Herald to content it
self with the gains that must inevita-
bly, accrue to the Democratic party
through the coming of Mr.. Harriman's
creature pretending to support Taft,
and in Difference to the feelings of
thousands upon thousands of decent
Republicans IN no wise responsible for
this disgrace, to use the soft pedal
when it mentions it. Republicans
would remember and reciprocate the
courtesy should some turn in the stock
market or Wall street need lead Mr..
Hartman to order his serfs in Cali
fornia to change their notes and yell
Justify in behalf Of the Democratic
ticket. We should then disdaih to win
if victory came at so great a cost of
decency, through the assistance of
such dishonorable allies"
Our foot is on the soft pedal while
we write that we sympathize heartily
with the thousands upon thousands of
decent Republicans who are in no wise
responsible for the Gillett disgrace. We
realize, thoroughly, that Mr.. Tafts
goose is about to be cooked, not by his
avowed antagonists, but by those who
openly call themselves his friends. We
are sorry for Big Bill. What has he
ever done that he should be Gulettined?