New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-26
Our Neighbor, Patriot.

Oth ''NAEhAS|-t
From the editorial columns of The
World" Of Wednesday we take the follow
ing:
"Al the Rooseycts and 'Staats-zeit-
ungs' and New York Tribunes of that
time turned their mud-batteries upon
him."
The reference is 70 the neutrality policy
Of George Washington. Mr.. Wilson's prede-
ocssor, as "The World" sees 1t, in the pol
icy OF too proud TO fight
As ~ the appropriateness Of the parallel
between the soldcr or Trenton, Valley
Forge and Yorktown and the author of the
recently familiar notes expressing Amerl-
can policy at home and abroad, The Trio-
uGc will leave this question TO history to
decide. What interests it at the moment
is the reference to itself and criticism oil
Mr. Wilson as the outgiving of "a mud
battery" The Tribune is interested IN this
charge because it suggests that The
World" has at last concluded that its own
record i'm the matter of mud is so com
pletely forgotten that it can safely charge
other newspapers with pursuing the
course which long gave it the sole distinc-
ton it enjoyed in American journalism.
But The Tribune believes that in this
The World" is in error. From Rhodess
History of the United States" the follow
irg account of "The Worlds" part in the
effort to defeat Abraham Lincoln in 1864
is taken:
The desperate character Of the canvass for
Mcclellan led "The New York World" the
ablos+ and most influential Democratic jour
nal of the country. into an unworthy line OF
argument Not content with the general
charges of Ignorance, incompetency and
corruption of Mr.. Lincoln's administration
IL cast imputations on the personal honesty
of the President. II asked these questlohs'
"Mr. Lincoln, has he or has he not an inter
est in the profits Of public contracts rs
Mr. Lincoln honest ?" and gave these answers;
"That Lincoln has succumbed to the oppor-
tunities and temptations of his present place
is capable of the easiest proof, and inns
claim of honesty will not bear examination"
Again il made this assertion: Honest Ola
Abe has few honest men to defend his non
esty."
As to our neighbor the "Staats-Zeitung,"
and Commandments generally, we hold
no brief for them, but we fancy that 1t
must come with surprise to them to be de-
scribed as "Copperheads" by that newspa-
per which. in the Civil War, was the rec
ognized and proclaimed organ of Copper
In orb
followed the early failures Of Grant in the
advance to Richmond was actually sus-
pended by the government for publishing a
false and harmful rumor intended to weak
en- the cause of the North and contribute
TO the aid and comfort of the South.
Our neighbor 1.-The World" affects TO
treat with Indignation and bitterness those
German-Americans who are now IN re
bellion against the United States or at
work conspiring against its safety. But In
the davs of the draft riot, when this city
vas in rebellion against the necessary COM
pulsion to fill the gaps in the lines Mt the
front. it was THE World which frankly
and openly attacked the United States gov
crnment for its course in ordering and en-
forcing the draft In the crisis of that
draft riot the "Copperhead" mob marched
Z. The Tribune Building and destroyed the
machinery. but "The World" was not mo-
Tested.
The Tribune does not quarrel with The
World" because in 1915, as in 1864, it ad-
yocates peace at any price and supports a
Democrat on a platform Of "too proud to
fight" 1t recognizes the right Of The
World" to adhere TO the policy 1t mas al
v,avs pursued without regard to any CUES
tion save that of parochial Democratic
rolitics. 1t realizes that a newspaper
which attacked Abraham Lincoln because
70 defended national honor and safety
would naturally support Woodrow wilson
n sacrificing both.
But it ventures to suggest that Inc
World" should never permit any excess OF
yvcophantic enthusiasm to betray 1t into
the use Of certain terms. OF these are
,oud-battery and "Copperhead."