Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-04-24
HAS COMPANY

THE NEW YORK WORLD, chic
defender of the Wilson admins
tration, having been denied tn
use of the Government-controlle
telegraph lines for news items
desired to transmit to its clients, ha
this criticism to offer regardin
General Burleson's gen
eral unfitness for his job, with whic
the Telegraph agrees in every partic
ular:
Taking the record of the last
six years, the BurleSon appoint
ment, on the whole, has proved
the most unfortunate that the
President ever made-unfortu-
nate for Mr.. Wilson himself, un-
fortunate for his administration,
unfortunate for the Democratic
party and unfortunate for the
country. Mr. Bryan was a sorry
misfit as Secretary of State. but
Mr.. Bryan'S selection was newt .
able, and in naming him Mr.. Will
son followed the political tradi-
ticns of the country. Moreover,
Mr.. Bryan's opportunities for
mischief were narrowly circum-
scribed, because Mr.. Wilson, in
reality, was his own Secretary of
State and decided all questions of
policy. There have been no such
restraints upon Mr.. Burleson. He
has roamed at large, been allowed
TO administer his office n his
own amazing way, and the con-
sequences are appalling.
Instead of being link between
the President and Congress, he
mas been source of continuing
contention. Disliked and diStrust-
ed at the Capitol. he has made the
Presidents relations with Com
gress more difficult. AS a politiA
cal adviser to the President he
has been a Democratic tragedy.
WHICH Mr.. Wilson has not in
volved himself in trouble by TAX
ing counsel of Albert Sidney Bur-
Lesson, we should like to know
when it happened.
These are minor matters, how
ever. 1t is with Mr.. Burleson as
Postmaster General that the
country is chiefly concerned, and
s Postmaster General, Mr. Bur
Lesson is a national liability. The
Post Office Department was bad
enough when he took hold: under
his management it has steadily
deteriorated. The war gave the
telegraph and telephone service
into his hands, and the blight of
Burlesonism has now fallen upon
all the agencies of communica-
ton. We doubt if there is a sin
gle business, a single industry, a
single activity that is not a vic
tim OF the Burleson system of ad-
ministration,
Had the Postmaster General set
out deliberately to discredit Gov
ernment ownership and operation
of public utilities. he could not
have been more successful in his
undertaking.
But in the meantime the
American people have to pay for
all this blundering incompetency,
and tho longer that President
Wilson keeps Mr.. BurIeson in Of
flee the more difficult he makes
his own great task. Probably
two-thirds of the popular opposi-
tion to the President, Disregard
ing that which is the convention
al antagonism of blind, unreason-
ing partisanship, is the direct
product of Burfesonism, and Mr.
Wilson could render no greater
service to himself than to get rid
CT his Postmaster General.
All of which is justified by fact
with which the public is we'll ac
1uainted. But why lay the who'll
responsibilities for the President
growing unpopularity upon Burle
son? To he sure he is misfit, bu
who put him where he is, and VIII
has permitted him to go his wa,
Who is it that coul,
have halted Mr.. Burleson in his ma,
career had be so desired? Why
Mr. Wilson, of course. And since h
has not disapproved MIR. Burleson
It must be concluded that he ap
proves him. No, Burleson canno
be made the scapegoat of the ad
no matter how mucl
he is open to criticism.