Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-09-16
TUMULTY'S EXCITEMENT
New York Times. /


President Wilson evidently had no
hand In the composition of MIR.
Iumulty's cgregious letter to Chair
man Hays. 1t Is all Tumultian; and
the state of mind it reveals must
give some concern to Mr.. Tumuliys
friends. For it gives tho clearest
possible proof that he has got him
self into u mental state wherein any
one who. opposes the Democratic
party is guilty of a species of moral
turp1tude. He quotes the speeches
OF Republican statesmen, wherein
they express their natural hankering
Tor Republican victory, and quotes
them with a triumphant air, as If he
were convictinG them of treason.
He had inquired of Mr.. Hays
whether that individual had charged
the President with being willing to
make a compromise peace if that
would keep the Democratic party in
power. Mr.. Hays replies that he did
! rather turgldly: Let not political
parties spend their time accusing
each other of disloyalty when bo'h
are loyal" Mr.. TImulty confounds
him by producing a statement of his
| In which he said that more atten-
ton to politics" was needed. This
statement, Mr.. Tumulty says, with a
bewildering air of completely, con-
futing him, is obviously partisan"
Still with that bewildering air of
triumph upon him, Mr.. Tumulty pro-
| ceeds to arraign Senator Penrose,
| who is a Republican, for making q
Republican speech to other Repub-
| licans. He quotes an discriminating
passage beginning, "I want to say 70
the Republican party keep it vigor-
Gus and virlle all through the United
States, successful whenever it can
be successful etc. He quotes
| passages from other Republican
speeches, all of. which convey to the
| ordinary mind the impression that
these Republicans would like to see
the Republican party win. No doubt
| they convey the same impression TO
Mr.. Tumulty's mind; but that mind
! is in such q fervid state'that the eX-
preston of this desire on their part
seems to him to verge on Copper
headism.
What does Mr.. Tumulty want?
| The tone of his letter almost sug-
gests that he believes it is near trea-
| son to invite any one to vote the Re-
publican ticket. The President IS
very busy with more important
| things, but. it does seem as if he
could spare a moment to put a little
|
| or tame down his anguish in some
way. AS fer Mr.. Hays, who was
speaking in what he supposed to oe
confidence and whose remarks were
not stenographicslly reported, there
| is version of his speech which rep
resents him as saying nothing what
| ever about the President or the
Democratic leaders in connection
! with ending the war, but as saying
that "a certain socialistic coterie IN
Washington" would like to end the
war without hurting Germany too
much. If he said that. he under
stated the truth; the coterie is not
only in that frame of mind, but
seems to be doing, all it can to bring
its wishes about. 1t is only socialistic
in the parlor- socialist way, but it
| looks with a kindly eye on pacifism
and the Nonpartisan League. 1t is
not so long since it actually pro-
! jected the notorious Lindbergh Of
Minnesota into the White House and
got him an interview with the Presi-
. dent.