The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1922-04-25
SIC TRANSIT GLORIA
10 TUMULTY-

The break between ex-President
Wilson and his Sancho Panza, Jo-
seph Tumulty appears to be as final
as it was sudden. The last, per-
haps the greatest, favorite of the
old court has been put aside. ac-
cused of concocting a message to
the jefferson day banqueters which
he ascribed to Mr.. Wilson and which
Mr.. Wilson has sternly repudiated.
The question which remains in the
mind of the country is, why, if this
was to happen, did it not happen
long before?
Since Mr.. Wilson was stricken in
September, 1919, Joseph Tumulty
has bestrode the democratic party
like a colossus. In politics he was
born spokesman, and the present
administration has still much work
to do in Kidding the public service
of great many of Tumulty's SER
vitors. For the most part they were
craftily installed. Few written re-
cords exist to indicate the genesis
of their employment. Mr.. Tumulty
was too clever for that, and the
telephone was generally chosen as
the safest means Of giving orders.
But the administration is moving
slowly and surely to rid the govern
ment service of those appointees
whose allegiance is first to the New
Jersey politician, and now that Mr..
Tumulty has been set down by the
titular leader of the democratic
party it is probable that the opposi-
ton of the leaders of that party
to the dismissal Of Tumulty men
from the government service will
not be so vociferous. Tumulty has
had his day and it is admitted that
it was glorious one SO far as the
garnering of pelf was concerned.
From the close of 1918 to March,
1921, Mr.. Tumulty was virtually the
President of the United States. Dur
ing that interval Mr.. Wilson was for
several months abroad; on his re-
turn he made the celebrated "swing
around the circle" to boost the
league of nations, and in Septem-
Der, 1919, he broke down and was
an invalid ~ <do Uh;ko uo,co -,
to the time he was superseded by
President Harding. The violence
which was done to section I, article
II, of the federal constitution, deal
ing with the disability of the Presi-
dent, set an example which will
probably not again be followed
while this nation is constitutionally
governed. But it was during this
period that the private secretary
of the president reaped his harvest
in federal appointments for a large
personal following and dictated poll
cies inspired more by his private
sympathies than by any regard for
the national welfare.
A few months ago Tumulty pub
lished series Of articles, later APP
pearing in book form, purporting to
be defense of President Wilson,
but it reality being a paean of self
praise. A Washington, D. c., paper
of the democratic faith, is authority
for the statment that the Tumulty
material was published before Mr..
Wilson saw the proof-sheets, and
that he was very much incensed at
the contents. It was probably at
this time that Mr.. Wilson aroused
himself to the fact that his secre-
tary was making capital out Of his
association and that he would bear
watching. Hence, no doubt, the sci
zure Of the opportunity which the
faxed messages afforded.
Mr.. Tumulty is not a political
asset to the democratic party, nor
as one who intermeddles in public
affairs and offices, is he a friend of
the public welfare. The party and
the public, commenting on the rift
between Mr.. Wilson and his late
secretary, will undoubtedly side with
the former and say good radiance"
to the latter.