Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-09-22
MONDAY EVENING. SEPT. 81, 1908.

A FEW weeks ago when the question
of the nominat.onfor a second term o.
Governor Chas. E. Hughes was under
confederation by President Roosevelt,
these opposing aud those endorsing an
othfr nomination we're prominent among
the pilgrims to Oyster Bay-Of late years
the summer capital. Observant people
will recall thst among the visitors was
MIR. silas McBee, editor of The Church
man, New York publication. Whether
or not Mr.. McBee is a clergyman ia
something beyond our knowle5g'. be
thar as it may it appears that Mr.. Nc
Bee imaginss he is delegated to not only
instruct his northern readers as to things
celestial, but to point out to southern
people through the medium Of the geI-
eraI press what they should do in order
get the very beat Of things terrestrial. A
recent dispatch iron Cincinnati referring
to Mr.. Taft says;
After 40 interview with Bishop Der
rick. of the Ohio Conference OF the Aill-
can Methodist Episcopal Church, ir
which the entire negro political question
was discussed, and conference With
Suas McBee, of New York, editor oil Inc
Churchmau, Mr.. Taft returned to the
n p. Taft residence to continue work
on bis speeches.
or course we cannot assume that this
wss q Joint conference; no surprise exists
az 70 the negro bishop giving mis- advice
TO the candidate, as the negro churches
have long teen Known SIS semi-politicaI
headquarters during presidential election
wears, but it is strange that the editor OF
an Episcopal church paper, referring TO
the fact thst be is of southern birth,
should thus exploit himself
lam a North Osroliuian by birth and
q lifelong democrat. | shall vote foi
Mr.. TAFT because be has in his heart to
bring my people of the south back into
absolute union with the national lie
and to their historic place as control
LING force in the nation, and to do which
would immorlsliz. him as statesman.
7 shall vote for him because he more
nearly represents my ideals of govern
ment' of social order and economic pol
lev than any living democrat or any man
before the people today, save alone Ineo'
dore Roosevelt, who is the only republi-
can president | have ever voted Tor. Mr
TAFT has administered every trust com
mitted TO him by the nation with an eye
single to the nations good and for The
h.ghesi interests of the people that COM
pose the naIoD. TIE very permanent
iD,er 81 industrial, commercial or eco
nomic has found and will find under bis
administration sure protector, judi
cial and iudicioUs friend and guide.
Proud of himself as "a gusher" Mr..
McBee DO doubt think, this all very hue
aud takes himself seriously. If would
not be deemed indeccrous, and psr-
haps jar ears polite we would call it the
acme of impudence and the veriest
tomm,rot. Political parsons are always
the object of suspicion and the editor OF
The Churchman will be TO exception to
the rule. As he is a newspaper man ne
of course is familiar with that part OF
the republican platform thst refers to
the southern election laws, which WIS
placed in it to keep the negro in line,
and how all this, endorsed as ii WAS in
his speech Of acceptance will have the
effect. through Judge Taf's election, 10
"briug the people OF the south back into
absolute union with the national life
and to their historic place rs contrtl
ling force 10 the nation, and to do which
would immortsljze him az a statesman"
is SOMETHING that Mr.. McBee may I'M
derstand, but, with regret, we confess our
obtuseness is so monumental tha. we
do not This recalls the nur'ery rhyme,
"Will you wslk into my parlOr said the
spider to the Ay." The south has had
its full of such fairy tales.