The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-18
HITS WILSON HARD
Alfred Henry Lewis Writes of
Presidential Candidate.
Observation-Disclosures andEgotism
Untouched.
THE HARVEYINCI
His Action What Might Have
Been Expected.
Treatment of Senator Smith
Was an Indication.
THE HARVEY INCIDENT
(By Alfred Henry Lewis.)

"
graceful light. They will not astonish
however those who through close as
ISOLATION have been made aware of Mr..
| Wilson'S temperamental peculiarities.
Folk who know intimately, Mr.. Wilson,
know him to be marked by granite
| selfShness, of an egotism untouched of
any warmth of gratitude and not to be
soetened by disinterested service how
ever great.
In his attitude toward Mr. Harvey
Mr. Wilson but repeats what was his
| attitude toward ex-senator Smith. Mr.
| Smith made him governor. Mr.. Harvey
was doing all he knew to make him
president. Both are cast aside like
squeezed lemons the moment they
ceased to be used.
Even Mr.. Wilson himself does not
think the Harvey episode calculated
to render him glorious in the eyes Of
the common men. This is evidenced by
Mr.. WILSON'S not altogether truthful
efforts to give them no uglier descrip-
tion-tO cover and conceal it's details
MI Wilson, questioned concerning
those difficulties denied that any rup-
ture has occurred which denial is now
denied by Mr.. Harvey's explanation
Either Mr.. Wilson did not tell the truth
or Mr. Harvey doesn't tell the truth
Also every sign outside would point to
Mr.. Harvey's as the white side of the
situation.
Said a gentleman well instructed in
the turns and twists of Mr. Wilson'S
inner construction: Doctor Wilson
should not, perhaps. be blamed since
however unlovely he may in certain
lights appear he is only what heaven
made him. While a monumental egotist
he is unconscious of his egotisms. He IS
porn receiver as much as any oyster
and takes whatever is done for him or
given him as no more than rs natural
due.
Sees Only Himself.
In every situation presented he sees
only himself. We're he to find man
hungry, it wouldn't occur to him to
feed the man. AS a first if not a sole
erect 1t would but cause him to order
more elaborate dinner for himself
. In any clash of interest the doctor
would burn another barn to boil his
own egg and he would never think of
the barn. He would do these things
and be these things unconsciously
1t is to be feared that the ordinary
mind will not deal so leniently with
Mr.. Wilson as does the gentleman
above quoted.
When approached concerning the Har
Vey incident, as when approached con-
corning his prayer for Carnegie pension,
Mr.. Wilson was inclined to warn away
inquiry on the ground that the affair
was a private one.
Mr.. Wilson, to uphold this position
of privacy, should have remained in
seclusion. When Mr.. Wilson comes
asking not only that he be named a
Waterman upon the towers of govern
ment, but captain of the watch, he
must expect to be discussed and in a
manner directed.
He who abandons a friend will aban-
don a principle and what a man does
to an individual he will do to a peo-
pie.
AS one goes over the story of Mr..
Wilson and Mr.. Harvey one finds lit
tie to encourage the impression in Mr..
Wilson's favor of any breath of gener-
osity. Mr.. Wilson is pricked of an anxi-
ETY. to be made president, an anxiety
which through his press bureau he
makes apparent-very apparent-to
mankind. Mr.. Harvey thinking as he
says to render "a high public service"
adopts Mr.. Wilson as his own candidate
and as such places his name at the head
of his Harper's Weekly columns
In season and out Mr.. Harvey urges
the fortunes of Mr.. Wilson. He be-
comes his Boswell. Does Mr.. Wilson
go to Washington Mr.. Harvey goes
with him. Wherever Mr. Wilson bobs
up, Mr.. Harvey hobs up. 1t is Jona-
than and David, Damon and Pythias;
to find the one you have but to find
the other.
rnerce and close comradeship Mr.. Will |
son was always getting, Mr.. Harvey !
always giving. The one received, the !
other bestowed.
There shall be no attempt here to |
measure Mr.. Harvey's services. It is |
sufficient that Mr.. Wilson was glad to |
get them and that, however slight |
their real Importance, he at least |
owed Mr.. Harvey host of good inten- |
tons For Mr.. Wilson, after months |
of labor by Mr.. Harvey in the Wilson |
vineyard. suddenly to fall upon that |
editor with the bluff statement, "HaT-
vey, the time has now come when your |
open advocacy of my candidacy for the |
presidency is doing me more harm |
than good and I want you to stop it,
while characteristic was none the less
hard Nor will it assist Mr. Wilson to
gain or retain the trust of folk.
There is less sympathy for Mr. Har- |
vey snubbed insulted and tossed aside |
than there might have been had he /
not had notice of what he was to ex- |
pect. He had before him Mr.. Wilson'S /
treatment of Senator Smith.
His Treatment of Senator Smith.
Mr. Wilson hungered to be made |
governor, just as later he hungered to |
be made president, and delegates, |
votes and money were given the utter !
most help of Mr.. Smith. Mr.. Smith |
nominated him in the convention, |
elected him at the polls. Mr.. Wilson |
had no sooner taken his oath of office |
as governor than he denounced Mr.. |
Smith as a boss" and with a great |
show of Reputation showed him the |
door,
In this Mr.. Wilson but acted upon !
his own mugWump ideals The mug |
wump who is a pharisee, teaches that |
no one not demagogue ever remem- !
bers his friends
Mr.. Wilson knew Mr.. Smith had |
been his friend, had, brick by brick |
and stone by stone, builded him into I
that governorship and yea, disregard /
ing every thought of friendship, every
memory of what he owed, Mr. Wilson 1
door. Mr.. Harvey should have fore
seen in that Smith door-shoWing what |