Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1918-11-01
DETROIT FREE PRESS
DOUBTS MOTIVES OF
POLITICAL "PURISTS"
Gays They Now Are Full Of ExpIana-
lions Of New York Newberry
Action.

Maybe They Have Overdone It" Is
the caption on the following editorial
which appeared recently in the Detroit
Free Press:
1t is interesting and instructive TO
note that those most active and most
instrumental in stirring up the ques-
ton of the morality Of the Republican
senatorial nomination are not general
ly persons who are themselves known
as strong adherents of the Republi-
can party. On the contrary, some Of
them have been generally credited
with sentiments decidedly antagonis-
tic to the interests of that party; and
while, of course, these people have
their dupes who bear the Republican
label, the latter are little more than
puppets.
Yet the tenderness of these outsid-
ers for the honor of the Republican
party, which they graciously concede
is the honor of the state, is so solicit
tous that it is touching. They are not
content to allow the general elector-.
ate Of Michigan, nor its courts, to de-
eide what evil, If any, has been done.
the voters and judges and juries OF
our commonwealth are so incompetent
if nothing worse, that they may not
be permitted to decide their own af-
fairs according to their own laws with
in tire bounds of their own state.
rhas rIi Af
righteousness at first attempted to in
terest the upper house of congress in
their tale of iniquitous practice, but
for reasons it might be unkind to
mention, their effort failed
However, their highly sensitized con-
sciences would not rest. So they raised
their voices In the rooms of the ma
tional department Of justice, and the
attorney general listened and started
an action which may only be described
as extraordinary. Charges were made
against Commander Newberry and his
campaign helpers in a United States
district court in New York, and it was
announced that Judge from Ala
bama would try the case. There was
some gleeful exultation in certain
quarters over this achievement, and
for time matters seemed to be going
on swimmingly.
But, after all, is the proceeding hav-
ing the effect it was intended to have?
Is it really turning the minds of the
people of Michigan from the senatorial
ha oh Of
majority of the voters of the state at
the primary?
Isn't there something rather strain
ed in the spectacle Of Republican
senatorial nominee and his managers
on trial for their lives, so to speak,
before a southern Democratic Judge
and Tammany town jury with
prosecuting attorney who is the repre-
sentative of a Democratic attorney
general?
Isn't there certain suggestiveness
in the successful invocation against
Commander Newberry of the interest
and power of the legal department of
an administration that is avowedly
working for the election of Comman-
der Newberry's opponent?
Isn't it rather curious fortuitous
circumstance that the Newberry cam
paign managers must be detained in
New York on the eve Of election. thus
leaving Mr.. Fords managers a clear
field?
We are far from asserting that the
officers called into the investigation
are anything but honest men, but
but were they all angels of light and
above suspicion of human prejudice,
the situation, as it stands, would not
the less be provocative Of cogitation
! concerning the curious forms thirst
for righteousness and political purity
will sometimes take during an election
campaign.
Even those most insistent upon car
rying the Newberry case through to
the end seem TO be touched with lit
tie doubt along certain lines. They
are full Of explanations of why II was
necessary to take the case OF the COM
mander to another state, and of why
il was necessary to call in southern
Democratic Judge and Of how little,
after all, that Judge has had to do
with the case, and they are exceeding
ly liberal with constructions of events
which are, to say the least, not i'm
partial, and which suggest that they
are not quite content to allow develop
ments to speak for themselves. We
wonder whether they are afraid they
have overfddled?