The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-01-18
THE MARION CHRONICLE AND
Mr.. FOULkE.

THE MARION CHRONICLE AND
Mr.. FouLkE.
The TRADE Of abortive abuse which
the Marion Chronicle is responsible for
in regard to Mr.. William Dudley |
Foulke and which has been the going
the rounds of the state papers is high
~ absurd as we'll as disgusting. 1t
leads one to suspect that Mr.. William
Dudley Foulke has said or done some
thing which the Marion Chronicle and
its friends did not altogether approve
OF. Lacking this what is the reason
for the great amount of vituperation
unless it be spontaneous combustion?
To the unprecedented observer it
might appear that Mr.. Foulke's re-
marks anent the Crumpacker bill and
the civil service might have something
to do with it, Apparently the Mario1
paper does not care to go into a Idetat-
ed account of Mr.. Crumpacker and tie
civil service. Thereupon the only
thing left for it to do is to belabor Mr..
Foulke
There are three great counts fn
which Mr.. Foulke has been indicted.
First: That he writes books whfh
nobody reads" and speeches that b.
body listens to-" Second: That he is
interested in civil service reform and
hood government. Third: That he Is
q close friend of Theodore Roosevelt.t
Beside these heinous crimes tho soft
words ENVY, hatred and treason" arp
thrown in for good measure. From
this, one is led to the confirmation of
a suspicion that Mr.. Foulke has always
told the truth when he said that he
was Independent in his political be-
liefs.
It is not necessary to make out a
testimonial for Mr.. Foulke. Mr.
himself. There are however certain
things which should be said in this
case In the first place having re-
moved to Indiana, is it any shame to
him that he has written books? Even
II it we're true that these books "are
not read''-what harm? AS matter
Of fact, however. 1.-The Life of Oliver
n {o o,,$h orff mt
only the life of the late war governor,
but also on the whole war period and
the reconstruction. II the editor OF
the Chronicle has not read it or seen
1t quoted in the most erudite publica-
tions OF historical research, it does not
argue him well informed on past po-
litical and historical events in this
state, nor altogether competent to pass
on one phase of Mr.. Foulke. AS to
.Slav or Saxon" and paul the Dea
con-" these too, are quite as great
achievements in their line as any OF
this generation. It must be admitted
for the sake of veracity that they are
neither Of them as widely read as the
five best sellers" nor even the Marion
Chronicle. And though Mr.. Foulkes
literary reputation be not SO glisten.
Ing as that of certain other Indianians
who have risen to a dizzy height, his
contributions to real literature are q
trife more permanent.
The chief fault, although it is not
openly admitted, with Mr.. Foulke
seems to be that he is a civil service
reformer. In that he is in good COM
pany. There are several republicans
who believe in 1t. There have always
been those in the party who have main.
tained that it is better to give the
people public service in which merit
plays more part than the awarding OF
plums to political hangers on.
AS to Mr. Foulke's personal friend
ship for the president-that dates bacl
to the time when the name of Roose
welt had not been heard outside the
city Of New York. Were there no Other
reason. 1t would be no shame to Mr.
Foulke to have remained loyal to Z
friend of such long standing without
the added consideration that, long be
fore the accident which gave the presi
idency to Mr.. Roosevelt, these two me1
had agreed that the government
should bs carried on honestly. Sine,
when has it been crime that on,
shall have personal Acquaintance
with the president?
But all this Is beside the question.
The Marion Chronicle to the con
trary, Mr.. Foulke is one Of the few
men who has no axe to grind in tn
political world. II he had had b.