The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-03
Leading Republican Paper Of
Nebraska Attacks Bryan
In Criticism of an AllegedSpeech
on the Tariff.
THE PASSAGE QUOTED
Discovered to Be an Extract
From the Chicago Platform.
Editor. Is Head of His Party's
Publicity Bureau.
THE PASSAGE QUOTED

Fairview, Lincoln. Neb.. Oct. a.
There was much amusement at Fair
view on the receipt of the Omaha pa
pers today. In yesterdays Omaha
Bee, published by Victor Rosewater.
member of the Republican executive
committee and head of the Republican
publicity bureau, there, was an edi-
torial criticizing in vigorous language
an extract from a supposed speech of
Mr. Bryan's on the tariff question.
The words complained of in the edi-
torial were:
TN all tariff legislation the true
principle is best maintained by the i'm
position Of such duties as will equal
the difference between the cost of pro-
duction at home and abroad, together
with reasonable profit to American
industries"
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 standpatter in
the country can accept that as salts
Factory and the rank cree trader can
means simply nothing. An attempt to
legislate along that line would simply
open the way to interminable wrangle
as to what constitutes a reasonable
proht, for hair splitting on wages in
one industry, price Of raw material in
another, rebates and drawbacks in a
third, and so on through the thousands
OF articles that are now on tariff lists
Under such a proposition, an attempt
at tartfH revision, at Bryan's direction,
would serve only to halt Industrial and
commercial progress and keen bust
ness unsettled during his term of
off1ce.' ~f
This mornings World-Herald shows
that the words complained of are not
a part Of any speech of Mr.. Bryan's,
but part Of the trust plank of the
Republican platform and that the
head of the Republican publicity bu-
reau, and member of the executive
committee of the national committee
had through the editorial columns of
the paper published by him severely
criticized one of the planks of the
platform on which Mr.. Taft is running.
An Apology Due Bryan.
When Mr.. Bryan's attention was
called to the Omaha World Herald's
editorial reproducing the Omaha Bees
attack upon the Republican platform,
he said:
Il am very much surprised that Mr.
Rosewater, who is the editor of the
Bee and also member of the executive
committee of the Republican national
committee and the head of the Repub-
lican bureau of publicity, should have
attempted to misrepresent my position.
A good many unfair things have been
said, but nothing more unfair than
that said by Mr.. Rosewater. To ac-
cuse me of using the language of the
Republican platform is an outrage He
ought to apologize for this injustice
and explain to his readers that the Ian
guage which he criticizes was taken
from the Republican platform and not
from any speech of mine.
Mr.. Rosewater is right, however in
making fun of the language. He is
right in saying that nothing prettier
in the catch-all line has been offered in
this campaign He is also right in
saying that the most hidebound stand
patter in the country can accept that
as satisfactory and the rankest 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 an attempt to
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 wages
in one industry, price of raw materials
in another rebates and drawbacks in a
third and so on through the list OF
thousands of articles that are now on
the tariff lists
Basis for New Division.
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
direction, but would 1t not be true il