Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-09-23
%
The influence of weeky newspapers ON public
opinion exceeds that of all other publications in THE
country-Artbur Brisbane.
ROOSEVELT GAINS STRENGTH \

ROOSEVELT GAINS STRENGTH
Governor Roosevelt has emerged from the Walker
hearing with more support than he has had any time
since becoming a candidate for the presidency. The
manner in which he conducted the hearing added to
his prestige with the public, and when the Tammany
mayor leveled unfair charges at him, his cause was fur
Their strengthened.
Mayor Walker made the serious mistake of accusing
Governor Roosevelt of permitting 'polical expedl-
ency'' to influence him in the handling of his case. He
even charged that it was political ambition alone
which led to the governors apparent determination to
remove him
In answer to these charges, The New York Times
comes through with a ringing defense of Roosevelt. 1t
asks what possible advantage in his presidential cam
paign could Mr.. Roosevelt win in putting out of office
a mayor who admits that his administration has been
completely successful and enormously popular?
sWhy," queries The Times, should it rebound to
the governors praise, and add to his strength in other
states, if he challenged and antagonized the political
organization behind Mr.. Walker, which is made up, as
the argument runs, of the most high-minded and pub
l~ic-spirited and disintercsted 'citizens?"
The former mayor unwittingly gave his own case
away The Times thinks. when he conceded that
there might be a powerful political motive for oustns
himself and breaking with Tammany, he tacitly &C
cepted the outside view of the government of this city
and the nature of Tammany. 1t is precisely because
the fixed belief of the country still is that they are un-
worthy of public confidence and a handicap to the
Democratic party that the action of the governor was
counted upon to add greatly to his prestige with voters
elsewhere.
'sThat effect has, in fact, been already achieved If
Mr.. Walker would glance at the expressions of opinion
all round the country, he would perceive that it has
been. The anticipated verdict of Governor Roosevelt
is the verdict of intelligent men everywhere who have
made themselves familiar with conditions in New York.
They had followed the course of the legislative inves-
tigation long before it reached Mr.. Walker himself.
They had seen the Seabury probe thrust into one de-
partmenr of the city government after another and
marty everywhere expose moral rottenness. They had
witnessed the removal of the sheriff of New York
county. Other inculpated ofieials, or their accompli-
ces had been seen to flee the jurisdiction
IT'S it any wonder, then, that interested people all
over the land had been waiting with intense eagerness
to find what Governor Roosevelt would do about it?
High hopes were held of him because of his mastery
conduct of the hearing at Albany. And everywhere it
is now felt that the sudden resignation Of Mayor Wal
ker is as great a vindication of the course Of the COVER
nor, and as full of political significance for him, as
would have been an outright executive order of re-
moval.
'Ihis conclusion lies implicit in what Mr.. Walker
said as he took himself out from under fire. The spe-
cal political form of his railing accusation against the
governor unintentionally served to point and emphasize
Mr.. Roosevelt's triumph"