Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-09-24
WHAT WILL THE HARVEST mr.

WHAT WILL THE HARVEST BEf
At the present time most republic
cans are not asking what the harvest
shall be, but what will the harvest
bc?" The time for choice In connec-
ton with the Foraker incident is past.
Time was when republicans might
have used shall" in that connection,
but now all power to remedy the stu
alton as n party is pnst and the char
acter Of the harvest sure to follow Is
tho ono thing uppcrmost In the minds
of the people.
So far MS the republican national
ticket Is concerned there can be no
question that the situation has a bnd
look. We have only to go back TO the
postoff1cc scandals, however, and TO
consider how those disclosures affected
the public so realize what is likely to
happen IN connection with tho Foraker
incident. President Roosevelt insist
ed upon cutting or tho rotten branches
from tho governmental tree in TINT as
in every other Instance. lie punish
ed tho public servants who had be-
tina. he would tolerate no corruption
IN tho public nervice and championed
In every possible way the cause of
good government.
In that instance tho people as a
whole did not hold the adminiS
responsible for the sins OF the post
Office department officials concerned.
they realized fully that employees Of
n government, like those Of any fnan-
ciai or other institution dealing with
the public, are liable TO become dis
honest or show tho dishonest streak
promptly furnishing tho offenders Pres
ident Roosevelt saved his party from
the penalty Of responsibility II the
administration had attempted to cover
up the posta, frauds or had condoncd
the offences OF the corrupt officials.
then tho people would have visited tho
sins OF these men on the party In pow
er. AS II was the punishment OF tho
men In question strengthened public
confidence in tho Roosevelt admins
tration.
Senator Foraker was not even n
Aar Of In i.,.r
tion. He was United States senator,
and n Representatives OF the people or
Ohio. He IS republican, to be sure.
but inasmuch as tho Roosevelt admin
istration MS well as Judge Tai. and
republicans everywhere have repudi-
atcd him and called for his political
overthrow. and for whatever legal
penalty may be attached to his offence,
the people will not be incline&l TO hold
his party respon sible for his offences
against good government and sound
public morals
The disturbing feature Of the Fora
ker situation is the announced deter
m'nation Of the discrcdited senator to
take the stump, although he has been
thrown out by the republican cam
paign managers. and make an indie
pendent canvass fo- Reelection TO the
United States Senate what effect
this course will have on the national
situation 10 problematical. In our es-
timat!on II will all depend how the
republicans OF Ohio treat the situation.
In this connection It Is interesting
to note that the democratic New York
Times which is newspaper ALWAYS
no matter what may be the politics
involved. has taken occasion 10 inquire
Of the Chairmen OF the republican
county committees OF Ohio regarding
their opinion OF the results likely to
follow. Strangely enough practically
all OF these men, who are In position
to know whereof they speak. say tho
disclosures will have no effect as re-
CARDS the political complexion of the
they have given diverse reasons rou
this belief.
Unless the letters can be fully OK
planned, which now seems to be an i'm =
possibility, II IS inconccivable that
Senator Foraker can secure a re-eIec-
ton. II tho Legislature Is republican
on the temperance issue. which ,s de-
clared paramount by some of tho
chairmen, then Foraker will simply
step down and ont and be succeeded by
republican. II tho democrats should
succeed in capturing tho Legislature.
however. neither Foraker nor any
| other republican could be elected.
Tho lesson OF II all is that the nuhlic
servant who betrays his trust, is los,
politically; and even the man who an
pears to offend will have marked dif.
| hculty IN saving himself