New-York tribune., 1916-04-28
Buying a Man.

Duylng a Nion'
A dispatch 10 "The Evening Post last
night announced that President Wilson
was preparing TO withdraw the name Of
Senator Robert f. Wagner, submitted by
him for confirmation as Postmaster Of
New York. This is fitting end 10 sorry
but characteristic performance in which
any credit goes to Mr.. Wagner.
The nomination was an admirable illus
tration of the ideals that obtain in ma
tional administration to-day. II was made
because Mr.. Wilson believed he could en-
list German American support for him
self by making a man with German
name Postmaster Of this town. There was
an additional incentive in the fact that Mr..
Wagner was n member Of Tammany Hail.
a conspicuous member Tammany, Mr.
Wilson calculated, could be purchased by
patronage.
Now. the man with the German name
has declined to be used The Tribune
knows a good deal about Robert F. Wag-
ncr. and all it knows leads it TO believe
that, though his name be German, his 10y
altv Is unreservedly American. But what
ever Of German sympathy or affection he
NAV have would forever forbid his selling
IL out for a salary. He is not this sort Of
American and his German tradition is not
Of this sort
But there is Tammany. too. 1t has de-
clined the bargain. 1t has refused TIE
thing that was offered it. Did any one
suppose at this time three years ago that
Woodrow Wilson would be disclosed en-
deavoring TO buy Tammany Hall support
by miserable mess Of patronage? And is
1t not the supreme touch that he should
have his patronage flung back on his
hands, at the last?
This is not a pretty picture, but it is
true picture. 1t is not merely humlllat~
ing picture for Americans, but it must be
n bitter thing for those who have believed
in Woodrow Wilson as a representative
OF the better and the nobler thing in
American public life, as a Representatives
Of an ideal which was not expressed in
jobs, delegates or machines.
Has every one forgotten the Woodrow
Wilson who made his bow in public life
as the opponent of brutal New Jersey
boss? Has every one forgotten the Wood
row Wilson that won the praise and the
applause Of thousands when he turned his
back on the Tammany Hall machine Of
Jersey, which Jim" Nugent conducted?
Even in little things the measure IF
Woodrow Wilson appears. He cannot i'm
agine man Of German name who cares
more about the country Of his fathers than
the miserable pittance Of public JOB.
He cannot understand a man who is loyal
10 sentiment or an ideal, so loyal that he
will not sell it out for postofficc.
Quite in the same way he cannot grasp
a corrupt political organization like Tam
many Hall, which has just faint sem
blance of self-respect left and just for
once declines to be publicly purchased in
the broad highway and at high noon.
There is a whole portrait Of Woodrow
Wilson In this Wagner business-a picture
and true picture. There is an eXplana-
ton, IL men would but see it, Of why he
has failed himself and failed us all in
these great and trying hours. We made
him President because we trusted in him,
because we took his words at their face
value and hailed him promise Of new
and better things.
\ But Woodrow Wilson did not under
stand us, believe in US, trust US. We asked
him for deeds, for faith, for courage-he
gave us words and when words did not
avail, he set out TO buy our allegiance by
postoffices, by prosperity, by bribes meas
ured by his estimate Of our selfshness or
our avarice.
And as a consequence VIC have now
the spectacle Of the President Of the
United States, Of Woodrow Wilson, com
PEELED 10 take back the contemplate bribe
he offered 10 the man Of the German name
who was honest and % Tammany Hall
which was not on the market al the
moment.
IL may be that most Of us arc as bare
as Mr.. Wilson thinks; it may be that our
affections, our Americanism, our sont-
nent for an old country, which in Mr.
Wagner's case is never a bar 10 loyalty
70 new, will yield 10 postoficc or a
place, but just for once this has been
proven not 20 be the case. May il not
be sign and symbol % much more that
is coming?