The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-01-24

The most important feature OF ma
tional politics last week was the care
fully concerted and well-rehearsed pre-
sentation OF Woodrow Wilson In the
role Of monster OF ingratitude, COM
bining all the despicable qualities OF
| Benedict Arnold and lago. There was
an element OF comic incongruity in
the rather hysterical picturing OF Col
onel George Harvey as King Lear.
| the governor OF New Jersey as the
serpent-toothed child and Mr. Waiter
son. ne Shakespeare.
! But n was no matter for testing.
| The personal character OF a possible
president means very much &c the
people OF America. And III the accusa-
| ton IL made that an able, magnetic,
rank speaking candidate for the high
est OF all elective Offices Is. In reality,
a treacherous, cold-blooded, self-seek-
ing migrate, the Interchangeable have
| the right TO a summarized and uncol-
ored statement OF simple facts. From
these facts let them draw their own
conclusions.
Let them take no dogmatic praise
nor censure from this nor any other
newspaper, nor from any politician
with one or many axes TO grind
Therefore, holding no brief for any
one, not enlarging upon our own opin.
ions, we shall endeavor TO set forth
certain indisputable facts, followed by
a few deductions which seem logical
10 us, but which we submit purely
as deductions and possible aids for
the intelligent formation OF our read
ers' own opinions
George Harvey, OF New York, Is a
man of intellectual and personal
force. He is possessed not only OF
executive ability, but of individual
traits that appeal to strong men Of
affairs. That he views such men as
supermen is attributable solely to his
honest bent of mind, not TO any COM
promise with conscience William C..
| Whitney was his patron until Whit.
ney's death. There was hardly lapse
before Colonel Harvey was called up
on 70 administer the Morgan money
put into the honorable, but dry-rotted,
properties of the Harper firm OF pub
fishers.
Harvey was an early and admiring
friend OF Woodrow Wilson. Whether,
from the first, he gagged the unusual
New Jersey scholar as potential
/ agency OF great use to his patrons,
we do rot assert as a fact. We doubt
that very much.
+. We think that those men became
; friends because OF the meeting OF two
fine minds. And we think that the
/ friendship was true.
But that friendship was based upon
what Wilson was. and not upon what
he grew TO be. And In the environ
ment OF Wall-st.. changed thought due
10 mental growth Is not understand
able
But tha friendship caused Editor
Harvey, OF Harper's Weekly, five
years ago to begin talking about the
equipment OF Woodrow Wilson for
the presidency. There is a story that
( IL was a Morgan order to bring for
ward a safe, politically untutored,
easily manipulated scholar as a back
fire 10 Bryan and the Roosevelt-creat-
ed Taft in 1908. We always doubted
the accuracy OF that story. and We do
mot believe IL now.
PROFESSIONALLY, George Harvey
was the earliest advocate OF Woodrow
Wilson for governor OF New Jersey,
land. rightly or wrongly-we think
rightly-is credited with having In
Ifuenced favorably Jim Smith and var
ious political and financial influences
In behalf of the Wilson candidacy.
There began whatever treachery
has been. 1t is one OF the consider
able facts that the blunt scholar. the
amateur in politics, told his hackers
first and repeatedly afterward the
people of his state that he would be
bound by no pledges except those he
made publicly to the people.
1t is simply a deduction that Wall
st. and the New Jersey machinists re-
garued him as a vote-catching liar. II
ls fact that Gov. Wilson kept every
public promise and thereby won the
undying enmity OF the Smiths and
INugents. He was called migrate local
ly from that time onward. He had
learned much, as real students do, In
the passing OF the years, and he was
guilty. OF having altered some opin-
ions. And instead OF campaign tact
fitness" and swift forgetting, he
kept his promises.
He never has been forgiven by the
Smith old guard. But Colonel Harvey
looked beyond one states borders and
defended Gov. Wilson and urged his
presidential candidacy. In somewhat
superlative style he continued TO do
so until a very few weeks ago.
As long ago as last October, Gov.
Wilson had been warned by warm
supporters OF his candidacy-among
lthern Editor Henry Watterson, of
Kentucky-that the efforts of Editor
Harvey, OF Morgan publication,
were doing Gov. Wilson harm every
where except, possibly, In New York.
Gov. Wilson took no action. We know
now what he thought. But the man
against whom he was warned was his
valued friend.
But his two friends arranged a
meeting with him In New York. and
there his best-prized friend put the
direct question TO him whether the
manner OF support by Harper's Week
lly wss injurious TO his candidacy.
And face TO face, man to man. friend
to friend, Wilson told Harvey that un-