The Monmouth inquirer., 1925-10-29
A Lesson in
StateCraft

paper which his wife landed MIN, anu
thoughtfully scanned the local pages
Then he frowned. Under great head
lines was an interview he had with q
representative Of The Herald the even
ing before. Under ordinary circum-
stances the statesman, who asplred
to succeed himself, would have been
highly gratihed to see his vies thus
Aplayed up" But here were great
headlines committing him to the
cause Of temperance! What an ideal
idiot that young Twinleigh, who wrote
the interview story. was. He wonder
ed how his supposed friend. Gerald
Fletcher, city editor of The Herald.
had let such a piece of dynamite IN.
He knew better thar anyone else how
the vast brewing and liquor interests
of the Thirtecutn would resent the
candidacy Of a man who held such
extremely radical views as he was
credited with In The Herald inter-
view. And to lose their support, to
gether with that of the miners and
railroad men, who the congressman's
lieutenants had told him favored
hands off on the liquor problem, was
certain defeat.
The interview would have to be re-
pudiated explicitly. There was no
other way. 1t might be a little hard
on young Twinleigh but he ought to
have had more sense. Why didn't
Fletcher send a man to interview him!
OF course, privately and theoretically,
Congressman Blazer was a temper
ance man, and he may have Incident
ally dropped a remark to that enec
while discussing matter with The
Herald's b~eardless representative last
night, but he most certainly never
said anything to the young man to
warrant him In putting such I'M
~equivocaI language in his mouth.
Why, people would be calling him
~Carrie Nation the Second"
~Here comes Jerome Cantweil-he
sells lots of stuff to the brewerman,"
soliloQuized the member Of congress,
as he was walking down town that
morning; l imagine he's not feeling
kindly IL he's read that bosh attribut-
ed to me. I'll straighten him out right
now; he's a man / can't lose. Funny;
he didn't say anything; only looked
queer, and passed on. Guess he didn't
believe me. Wait till he sees my
denial. Confound that Twinleigh!
He ought to be somebody's j~anitor.
Guess FletcherIl fire him sure when
he learns about the break he's made"
~Ah, Brother Daytonl Delighted to
meet you'll Nice dayl' That inter
view? Well, really, you know, OF
course, my private opinions about
emperanc I'm with you and the
church. Of course, but I can't afford to
come right out and take sides pub
licly in a matter of that kind. Truth
is, | don't think the temperance ques-
ton ought to be made an issue this
campaign. There are plenty more i'm
portant matters pressing-the tariff,
government ownership of-that inter
view? Oh, / was misquoted. | didn't
saw it-not that way-couldn't afford
to, you know, Straddle? Why, no. |
simply take the position that it's not
a political matter. 1t belongs to
AWonder If he's angry? He walked
off rather abruptly Funny how
preachers always insist on mixing
religion with politics.
"Just met and received the con-
gratuIations and endorsement of Mrs.
Jones for my interview. There wae
no use telling her the trutb-woman
can't vote.
ayes, / would like very much to see
Mr.. Fletcher; it's important. Won't
be down till this afternoon? Then
let me see the managing editor-right
off, please. Good morning, Mr.. Town
send. About that interview of mine
In the mornings paper, by young
Twinleigh, a very nice young man
very nice, fadeed-but very young.
There was a misquotation-Quite en-
barrassing, you know, at this stage of
the game. Wish you'd explain that
never expressed any ~antagonism to
the liquor men. I'm not running on a
temperance issue, you know. Just
say in the few minutes talk l had
with your reporter, he quite naturally
misconstrued the drift of my remarks,
and that Mr.. Blazer wishes to be I'M
derstood as making no war on the
saloons or the men who patronize
them, as he does not consider that a
pertinent political issue. Thank you.
very much-good morning!
Mice fellow, that man Townsend.
Didn't argue with me at all, or try to
excuse that laundering young re-
porter of his. And l feel sure he'll
print the correction like ! told him.
Things are coming around all right
after all. But, Great Caesar! Don't
a man have to be on the watch! Every
day something turns up that spells
disaster If you amt careful
.WeT. I'll go round to the Office
now and dictate some letters. Won't
Quill smile when he finds what a
muss l came near getting in! Good
morning, Quill, any mall? What! All
that? You read it-tell me what's in
it. Made a ten-strike? That inter
u{aur9 What do vou meant Prother