Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-11-22
TnE PEOPLES NEnnICr.

THE PEOPLES VERDICT.
The indictment for disloyalty II
easily made. II requires no proof, It
requires no truth-juHt II little vocal
ized breath. No charge lS moro scr
ious thnn the charge Of disloyalty,
whether It be true or false II II b"
true. II imputes one OF the worst
faults to the accused. II It he un-
true, II implies n reckless fnult on
the part of the accuscr. When the
charge ot dIsloyalty Ia made con
trary 10 the Acts II is one Of terrific
and hcartless cruelty. This IL equal
" true whether the charge is made
against an entire political party or
only against an individual.
Edmund Burke once said that ho
did not know how to draw an In
dlctment against n whole nation.
President Wilson drew an Indictment
against the whole republican party,
against 5000, 900 American citizens,
whose loyalty and patriotism. are
above suspicion. The American elec'
torAto returned a speedy verdict OF
mot guilty az charged"
Patriotic republicans whose sons
have died for their country felt
deeply aggrieved at this unwarrant-
ed impeachment OF their patriotism
Justice loving independents. W h o
know the loyalty OF their republican
nelghbors, Joined In vlndcatlng
them against this unmerited imput1-
tion. Democrats who love truth and
Justice moro than partisan success
took occasion TO certify their faith In
the unimpeachable loyalty and devo-
ton OF their republican friends and
fellow citizens.
The object Of the president In max
ing this charge against his republi-
can countfymen was to secure an en-
dorsement Of my leadership" Many
undiscrlmInating Americans mistook
"kny leadership" for "my dictator
ship" Americans who have made
every sacrifice to dethrone autocrRcy
in Europe are not willing "in these
grim times" through "any scruple OF
taste" TO abet tho enthronement OF
autocracy in America. They wonder
what It would profit them to democ-
ratlze the world but at the same timo
lose their own democracy. Tho pres
ident declared that II either house
went republican It would be lnterprc-
tod. both at home and abroad, as "a
reputation OF my leadership" Both
houses went republican. The impll-
cation IL pretty plain. Tho wayfar-
ing man ought not to misunderstanH
Congressman Ferris was one Of the
chief graphophoncs in hruitlng the
presidents indictment abroad. Al
most hctime II was made public, he
had several thousand copies printed
at the government printing office to
60 out TO the country under his frank.
The charge Of disIoynlty being go
cheap and easy It is one OF Chairman
Ferris cheap weapons, He hoped
that by impugnlng the patriotism Of
the republican party its defeat could
be effected in the natLsn.
He and his frIendS to cite a con-
crete example, had hoped to compass
the defeat two years hence OF Sen
ator Gore by the impeachment Of his
loyalty and patriotism Congressman
Ferris hoped, as chairman OF the
democratic congressional campaign
committee, to win the national con-
test and place enough notches on his
gun TO become tho court favorite and
the court candidate for the senate In
1920. and sally forth into the contest
with the presidents marks and
brands upon him With the prcsl-
Dental stone in his sling he could
smite Senator Gore on his forehead,
and strip him OF his senatorial toga,
because the senator's adherence 20
the principles of Jctfcrsonian dcmoc.
racy had on one or two occasions
brought him near the verge OF n
breach with the national democratic
administration. Ferris friends were
moved by this motive when they ob
jected to Senator Cores addressing
the recent democratic state convcn-
ton. They desired to make the con
venuon a sort of coming-out party
for Ferris.
1t Is hfnted by the lame ducks
that Congressman Ferris neglected
his larger duties in the pursuit of
this more or less wish