New-York tribune., 1911-12-12
FFrom The Tribune Bureaul


CALL WtCKERSHAM TO BLAME
That the Attorney General, George W.
Wickersham. is largely to blame for 80
much OF split as there is in the ranks
of the Ohio Republicans is the assertion
freely made ny certain members or the
national committee, and this is the evidence
| they present in support of their conten-
| tion: Last April with apparently no
thought Of tho approaching national con
vention or election Mr.. Wickersham
caused to be brought an indictment against
Daniel r. Hanna and r. J.. Ireland. OF the NJ
4. Hanna Company. and others prominent
in Ohio and influential in the affairs or
that state. Whether or not Mr. wicker
sham realized that Walter r. Brown, chair
man OF the Ohio State Committee. was the
attorney for Mr. Hanna. is not known 10
the members Of the national committee,
who intimate that. so blind is the Attor-
ney General to the necessities of politics.
it probably would have made no difference
n he had. The charge against Mr.. Hanna
at al. is rebatlng. or words to that effect.
Now. Mr.. Hanna and his attorney have as
serted that there was no good ground for
| indicting Mr.. Hanna. and that Mr.. Wick
ersham should have quashed the indict-
ment. But even these contentious produced
no effect on Nj Wickersham. With ap-
parently total disregard OF the political
| fortunes Of tho President. Mr.. Wickersham
has persisted in adhcring TO the view that
! the grand jury would NOT have brought an
! Indictment unless there had heen Good
ground therefor, and that the guilt or inno-
cence cf those indicted should be determined
| in a court Of Justice and not hv the Attor-
ney General. Even since Chairman Walter
Brown declared publicly that the Ohio del
! eration would be instructed for eX-Presi-
| dent Roosevelt Mr.. Wickersham has been
blind 10 all considerations of political ex-
! pedency. and has failed TO quash the In
dctment And now Mr.. Brown has come
| TO Washington inspired with an intense
! conviction that Mr.. Taft is not a proper
man 10 he President again--or to select
| a Cabnet-and Mr.. Hanna has come with
! him, and he does not mind any ones
| knowing that he shares the views OF his
attorney, Mr.. Brown. and is determined to
stand by him TO the last. Nor is this all
| Ranging over the country is brother-in-
Law Of Mr.. Hanna, a son-in-law Of the
| late Senator Hanna, who Is devoting his
! time and his bank account TO the promotion
| Of the La Toilette boomlet. What can you
| expect OF a President and an Attorney
| General who know no more than to en-
| force the law and to indict violators Of the
snti-rebating law. even when those viola
tors are prominent and influential in the
Presidents own stste?" remarked p mem
ber OF the national committee sadly this af-
ternoon. And he might have added that the
ssddest rart of the situation was that the
President and the Attorney General cannot.
even now, understand wherein they have
sinned.
MORE POLITICAL BLUNDERS.- Speak
ing of political bunders. there are those
who insist that the only reason that Mr.
! Toss was elected Governor Of Massschu-
setts this year was because MIR. Wicker
sham. with his consistent and inexphcsble
disregard of the political welfare OF his
chief. brought the suit against the Steel
Trust Immediately on the eve 81 the cleo
ton. Those who take this view declare
that there are ten thousand holders ~
stock In the steel Trust iu Massachusetts,
that these holders are mostly in the SIX
stocking" districts. and that II was in those
districts that the greatest falling off IN
Republican votes Nas encountcred-thst,
indeed. many Republicans declared that they
purposed to vote the Democratic ticket for