Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1908 — OMAHA BEE “STUNG" [ARTICLE]

OMAHA BEE “STUNG"

Raps Its Own Platform by Severely Criticizing Republican Tariff Plank. MB. LONGWORTH ON DYNASTY President’s Son-in-Law Declares Bight Yean Taft—Then Roosevelt Republicans .are Incensed at the Re. marks Made by Longworth in Hie Hock Island, 111., Speech on the Succession ot Presidency.

The Omaha Bee, published by Vic tor Rosewater, member of the Repub* lican national committee, and bead of the Republican campaign publicity bureau, has made the blunder of criticising vigorously part of the tariff plank of the Republican platform, the writer being under the impression that he was really pouring hot shot into Mr. Bryan. The Democratic leader, in a recent speech, had quoted that part of the Republican platform which 4s criticised. - The editorial in Mr. Rosewater’s paper goes on the theory that this language was Mr. Bryan’s own, the writer failing to notice that the language was really part of the platform on which Mr. Taft is running. The consequence of this is that Mr. Bryan and his friends have on a broad grin and they think that the smiles at Fairview are likely to spread to all Democrats *in the country. The words complained of in the Bee editorial were these: “In all tariff legislation the true principle is best maintained by the imposition of such duties as will equal the difference between the cost of production at home and abroad, together with reasonable profit to American industries.” The Bee went on to puncture this language in the following style: “Nothing prettier in the catch-all line has been offered in this campaign. The most hide-bound standpatter in the country can accept that as satisfactory and the rankest free trader can find delight in it. The declaration means simply nothing. An attempt to legislate along that line woud simply open the way to interminable wrangling as to what constitutes a reasonable profit,’ for hairsplitting on wages on one Industry, price of raw materials in another, rebates and drawbacks in a third and so on through the list of thousands of articles that are now on the tariff revision, at Bryan's direction, would serve only to lialt industrial and commercial progress and keep business unsettled during his term of office.” The Omaha World-Herald shows that the words complained of are not a part of any speech of Mr. Bryan, but a part of the tariff plank of the Republican platform. Mr. Bryan had this to say when the matter was called to his attention:

“I am very much surprised that Mr. Rosewater should have attempted to misrepresent my position. A good many unfair things have been said by Mr. Rosewater. To accuse me of using the language of the Republican platform is an outrage. He ought to apologize for this injustice and explain to his readers that the language wh|gh he criticises was taken from the Republican platform and not from any speech of mine. “This is a rich find. It shaws how absurd the Republican platform looks to a Republican when the Republican has a chance to look at it in a disinterested way. When Mr. Rosewater thought that the language quoted was taken from a speech of mine be could see how ridiculous the language was. I hope that his opinion of the language will not change when he finds that he was shooting at his own platform instead o at me. “The amusing blunder of the Omaha Bee suggests a new diversion for the Let the Democrats accuse me of using various sections from the Republican platform and from Mr. Taft’s speeches and see how the Republican editors will ridicule the language.”

REPUBLICANS INCENSED Longworth's Speech at Rock Island, 111., Arouses Wrath. No utterance of the campaign has attracted more attention than the prediction of Congressman Nicholas Longworth, the president’s son-in-law, who, in a speech at Rock Island. Hl., declared that after eight years of Taft, it would be Roosevelt in the White House again. This utterance has caused Republican campaign managers no little annoyance. The Republican view of the incident is well set forth by the Chicago Inter Ocean, one of the leading Republican pape-s in the entire -west. The Inter Ocean said: "The Hon. Nicholas Longworth pro posed to 10,000 American citizens in Rock Island on Friday that Mr. Ta i Should be made president Vof the United States for the next eight years and Mr. Roosevelt for the eight years following Mr. Taft’s second term. “As Mr. Ixmgworth is President Roosevelt's son-in-law, his words are accepted usually as semi-official for the White-House. This is the unfortunate feature of bis utterance in the present instance. "The American people are not looking for a lord protector. Even the most ardent Admirers of Mr. Roosevelt would not care to make him another Diaz. \ “With some eight years of the presidency behind film next March and with eight years of Mr. Taft before him. Mr. Roosevelt, according to his son-in-law's ideas, would be able to tefebrate on March 4, 1925, nearly a quarter of a century of personal rule over this republic. ■•Kiv-h a program is not one to be announced just now, incredible and impossible as it seems. Especially it la 1 ot one to be announced from the bosom of Mr. Roosevelt’s family. Good politics and good taste are both against such utterances. "Aside from Mr. Longworth’s plain assumption that Mr. Taft’s two terms

I ■' ' ' .J.S" , wauid not qonstitute wen a substantial interregnum—with which no real friend of Mr. Taft can agree—such remarks regarding the institution pf a Roosevelt dynasty are not only ng but absolutely damaging to the Republican candidate and the Republican party.” Speaking of the Longworth incident, Mr. Joyphus Daniels, chairman of the publicity bureau at Democratic head»x quarters, said: “The people may take it in their heads in November to knock Mr. Longworth’s nice family arrangement in the bead by going outside the close corporation anl family monopoly of the presidency. That would be sad for the son-in-law, but good for the country. The remark of Mr. Longworth shows tbst long tenures in office for one party makes those in power thank they own the government. If for no other reason than to teach the son-in-law and others near the throne that this is a republic, the voters will decide upon a change in November."