Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 34, Number 159, 16 April 1909 — Page 4
PAGE FOUR
THE RICHMOND PALLADIUM AXD SUN-TEIEGRAMf FRIDAY, APRII4 16, 1900.
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THE SIEGE OF CONGRESS. " The New York Times falls to see
where the Payne tariff bill meets the demands of the general public. The
following editorial, in part, appeared in
the Times in its Issue of Wednesday
last:
One fact stands out clearly in the tariff situation namely, that the contest that has been waged over the Payne
bill has been chiefly between great special Interests, and the demand for re
lief for the public generally has been
used mainly, so far as it has been con
ldered at all, as a means by which one
et of Interests could Impede or weaken another set. Congress, not only since
its meeting in extraordinary session,
but ever since the ways and means committee began its hearings, has. been
besieged by the representatives of pow erful and wealthy corporations seekin; to retain or to increase their favors.
i So far as the action of the House is concerned, the besiegers substantially
succeeded. The only improvement in
tbe Payne bill of any consequence was the amendment which, was supposed to
place petroleum and its products on the free list, and this was practically nulli
fied by a blunder, or a trick, since cor
rected. It la a striking indication of the conditions prevailing that the opinio -i
Of representatives was about equally
divided as to wnetner trickery or
plundering had taken place. It is not
how worth while to trace in any detail the actual provisions of the Payne bill, or the changes that have been made In
it.1 It has been overhauled by Mr. Al
drich'a committee, with the result that
the Dlngley duties are for the most part restored. It will still, further be modified by the senate;, when the two
bodies finally send their work to a con
ference committee the real shaping of the tariff will' take place. It is worth noting, however, that the scheme of
maximum rates devised by the Payne committee is reserved for further consideration by the senate, and that its inevitable practical effect, if enacted, will be to revise the tariff up and not down. The besiegers of the House have not neglected the Senate. They will now concentrate all their energy and influence upon that body. The degree of resistance their efforts will encounter may be judged from the provisions of the Aldrich bill. The representatives of the protected interests may well feel that they have already won their victory they have but to keep what they have won. The schedules prepared by the senate finance committee exhibt in a curious light the report that Senator Aldrich, after a conference with the president,' had pledged himself and his party to a genuine reduction of the tariff. What we get is not a reduction of the tariff, but a reduction of the Increased rates which the ways and means committee had the hardihood to report. Notwithstanding all the fair promises of the campaign, in spite of the specific and obviously sincere declarations of the president, the republican majority in congress has put upon the boards once more that fine old farce of the tariff revised by its friends. It is presented in the same spirit, by many of the same actors, and with the same familiar stage business as the commission revision of 1883. and the McKinley and the Dingley revisions of 1800 and 1897.. A genuine reduction was promised, a reduction that should lift burdens from American industries and the American consumer, the demands of the people and of the manufacturers were to be heeded, and revision was in good faith to be undertaken. As a result we get first the Payne bill, increasing the tariff taxes upon many of the common necessaries of life, and offering slight reductions on iron and steel, in respect to which it has been stated on the highest authority that no protection is needed. The Aldrich committee takes this bill and contents
Itself In most Instances with a substl-
tutlon of the Dingley duties for those which the ways and committees had advanced. This is not revision,-it is
restoration, a return to the present tar
iff, which public opinion had condemned and which the republican party had admitted to be burdensome and extortionate. The playing of this
farce in this manner might well bring
a grin to the faces of the graven Im ages In the rotunda of the capitol.
MASONIC CALENDAR.
. Friday, April 16. Called meeting
King Solomon's Chapter, No. 4, R. A. MV Royal Arch Degree.
. Saturday, April 1 7. Loyal Chapter.
No. tt, O. B. 8. Regular meeting.
Why Gordon's Word is Not Good The sum and substance of the series of editorials which we are about to offer is the" proof that Mr. J. B. Gordon who is striving after the republican nomination, !s unreliable, that his word is not good., and that he has been guilty of treachery. That he has broken a pledge and bond of, allegiance not only to the designated candidate of the republican party but to the men of bis party whom he deceived. r . In other walks of life if a man is guilty of treachery he Is a traitor. And !' . :,.'),' " . - ';..':
These are strong words but we know exactly what words we use. Traitor: One who betrays any trust, a person guilty of perfidy or treachery. (Century. Diet.) "Treason is a breach of allegiance and can be committed by him only who owes allegiance whether it be perpetual or temporary." So says Chief Justice Marshall. Or turn to Stubb s Constitutional History of England: '"Britton includes in treason any mischief done to one to whom the doer represents himself as a friend." And we shaU hereinafter prove that Gordon has broken a pledge which he made to men of his party, we shall prove that he did owe the pledge, and we shall prove that that pledge could not have been misunderstood by him, (for he himself proposed it), we will prove-that far from being a temporary pledge that pledge was perpetual until released by the man to whom he afterward became treacherous. And we shall further ask the question of the citizens of Richmond, to whom in event of election, this man promises certain glittering things, if the man who has broken his promises before is the man who can be trusted to carry out pledges in the future? We say that whether these occurences came about deliberately or ; whether they were because of the instability of an erratic and willful man that makes no difference! If Mr. Gordon is not a responsible being, and not subject to the common run of the code of behavior does that change the matter? Do we want a man who is not responsible to run the affairs of the city? Either he is not responsible for his actions and therefore not a man to be trusted; or else he is responsible and responsible for breaking his word. Mr. Gordon has promised many things in his platform. Is the man wlio has broken his word a man to be trusted? Here is the proof of his treachery: The republicans of this county are TEGNTcaZFpIfTl ae that Mr J' a Campben casc: J. u. K,AJnroCL,Lt elected by the repubiicans of Wayne county to represent them as their candidate in the Congressional district convention at Shelbyville in April, J90S. According to the rule of the county central committee, Mr. Campbell was entitled to select his own delegates who should be elected by the republicans of the county. And it was according to the rule of the county central committee that Mr. Campbell was to have the pledge of each one of these men that they would vote for him In the convention at Shelbyville until he was elected or until he released them. This was not only in line with the action of previous years but was the process carried out throughout the district. No one in reality had the power (except the candidate) thereafter to make any change in this procedure. But for some reason (which may hereafter appear) this did not suit Mr. Gordon. He induced the executive committee to take a hand. They, at Gordon's instance and insistance agreed to allow the candidate to give up his right to name the delegates. But it was mainly Mr. Gordon who went to Mr. Campbell and told him, that in case he chose his own delegates they would be for Barnard; but that in case he allowed the election to be held each man pledging. Mr. Campbell in each instance whoever was elected they would all be for Campbell according to the rule of the County Central committee that they would stand by Campbell until he was elected or until' released by him. He, Mr. Gordon, urged Mr. Campbell to announce to the republicans of Wayne County that he would not select any candidates for delegates but would take who ever was elected provided that each candidate for delegate agreed to support him either until he was elected or until he was released by Mr. Campbell. Mr. Gordon at that time urged that this be done because Barnard was getting hold of the men whom Mr. Campbell had thought of selecting. Let us say here and now that the truth of that fact does not enter into the present contention. The point is, that Mr. Gordon thoroughly understood Mr. Campbell's subsequent letter to the voters of the county.
MR. CAMPBELL'S LETTER RENOUNCING HIS RIGHTS AND GIVING THE TERMS ON WHICH HE DID SO.
So Mr. Campbell believed what Mr. Gordon told him. Trusting implicitly in the sincerity and the word of Mr. Gordon he published In the papers the following letter renouncing his right
to select the delegates and agreeing to it on the one condition . that they support him until he was elected or until released by him. We quote his letter appearing on the front page of the Item for March 6, 1908: To the Republicans of Wayne County: 'I have been honored by you in having been selected by popular vote at our recent primary nominating elec tion, as the candidate of Wayne County, before the disf trict convention for the nomination of a republican can didate for congress for the Sixth district. Under the rules adopted by our County Central committee, it Is provided that the candidate receiving the highest vote, shall receive the support of the county in district convention and shall have a voice in the selection of delegates to that convention. , Upon consideration. I prefer not to make any nomination of delegates to the precinct meetings in the county. ' All I ask of republicans at these meetings is, that good men be selected, who will be loyal to me as Wayne county's candidate and who will faithfully carry out the rule of our county central committee. Aside from this consideration I am entirely willing that the republicans of this county -when assembled in their respective meetings shall select the delegates to represent them without any suggestion from me as to the personnel of the delegation. Grateful as I am for the favor and honor shown me in my selection as your candidate, I feel that I may with assurance rely upon all the delegates of your selection being perfectly loyal to me as your candidate and beyond this I have no feeling or wish to influence their action. I would be glad if the various precinct meetings would take such action as would bind the delegates ' selected to give me that loyal support, which is indicated by the resolutions committee of our central committee.
- There is no intimation in the letter that any one else was to have control of the candidates. The letter distinctly states that all Mr. Campbell desired was that the men remain loyal. In other words he did not want any traitors in his camp, he wanted no men in his delegation who would break their word to him and to the republicans of this county. As a proof that these terms were dictated to by Mr. Gordon let ns quote from tiie editorial columns of the Item. Mr. Gordon therein admits that he- was the author of the instructions. "He (Campbell) says that the editor of this paper was the author of the instructions passed by the ward and township meetings binding the delegates to him until he released them. All thia la true. Absolutely true." Editorial by Bennett Gordon in the Evening Item April 22, 1908. V The reader will please notice that Mr. Gordon admits even after the Shelbyville convention that the terms of the election of delegations were "until released by him,w (Campbell.) But let us have a farther exposition of what Mr. Gordon understood
by those instructions before the Shelbyville court
"ONE WAY CAMPBELL. WOULD HAVE PICKED THE DELEGATES AND BARNARD . WOULD HAVE CONTROLLED THEM; THE OTHER WAY NO MATTER WHO HAS PICKED THEM REVEREND CAMPBELL CONTROLLS THEM ABSOLUTELY AS LONG AS HE WANTS THEM. WHO THEN IS CAMPBELL'S FRIEND? ONE WTAY CAMPBELL WOULD HAVE BEEN KNIFED BY HIS SUPPORTERS AND SCUTTLED EARLY IN THE GAME BY THAT OLD POLITICAL TRICK WHICH IS SO FAMILIAR TO THOSE WHO HAVE ATTENDED MANY CONVENTIONS. THIS WAY NO MAN LEAVES HIM UNTIL HE GIVES THE WORD. WHO THEN IS GUILTY OF DIRTY TRICKS IN POLITICS." EVENING ITEM EDITORIAL MARCH 21, 1908. We call the attention of the reader to this unmistakable evidence out of Mr. Gordon's own mouth that no man was to leave Mr. Campbell until he (Campbell) gave the word. The man who 'was to give the word was not Mr. Gordon but Mr. Campbell and this is a point which a little later failed to stick in the mind of Bennett Gordon Bennett Gordon, delegate to the convention from the Fifth ward.
This is the point on which Mr. Gordon afterward called Mr. Campbell a liar'and this is the point that Mr. Gordon's own word as a man of honor rests on. He understood it. And we have cited instances before and after to prove that this was the understanding. We have proved that this was the understanding that Mr. Campbell rested his case on, in giving in and in not selecting his own delegates.
WHO THEN IS GUILTY OF DIRTY TRICKS?
But the striking thing about this except from the editorial columns of the tern is the fact that Mr. Gordon him
self asks the question: "Who then is guilty of dirty tricks in politics?" And it is a remarkable fact that Mr. Gordon should have asked this question in view of later developments. Later it came to pass that he himself by his own acts answered It by giving Mr. Campbell the double cross and placed Mr. Campbell indeed in that position of the man "Knifed by his friends and scuttled early in the game by that old political trick ro familiar to those who have attended many conventions." There is a name in politics which characterizes this. That name is Double Cross. In the dictionary you will find it called Treachery. Treachery: Having a good, fair or cound appearance but worthless or bad in character or quality. Not to be depended upon or trusted. But let us go on with the story.
Now the election of delegates came off in which every man who was elected pledged himself that he would support Mr. Campbell until he was elected or until released by him. Or if yon prefer the words of Mr. Gordon: "This way no man leaves him until he gives the word." And Mr. Gordon under this pledge was elected by the republicans of the Fifth ward to "support Mr. Campbell until elected or until released by him." This was the pledge which lie voluntarily sought for and imposed upon himself. And certain other delegates who were associated with Mr. Gordon were also elected under this same pledge. The time of the Shelbyville convention drew near.
Notwithstanding the fact that Bennett Gordon himself was responsible for the pledge in the Fifth ward meeting which pledged him later to vote for Campbell until that gentleman was elected or until he released his delegates strange as it may seem to have been done by a man who has always posed as the apostle of honor, fairness and justice--Mr. Gordon and his followers who were under his leadership gave the members of the delegations of other counties to understand thoroughly that they were not going to stick to Campbell. . , This, though these men and Mr. Gordon were pledged by an oath of Mr. Gordon's own undertaking to support Campbell. . Let it be known that Wayne county has the strength to nominate practically whom she pleases (especially when there is a close race). And Mr. Gordon knew this. And the delegates of the other counties knew days before hand that the men were not supporting Mr. Campbell, except in a perfunctory way. It was known in Richmond! What was the purpose of Mr. Gordon in doing this? It was to keep the delegates of the other counties from offering any support to Campbell let them all cherish the idea that if they only held on they might get the vote of Wayne county.
THE BEGINNING OF THE DOUBLE CROSS
These were the first and preliminary marks of the double cross of treachery that Mr. Gordon pulled off
later. And yet Mr. Gordon (as we have shown before) understood the nature of his pledge and the pledge of the men he controlled. He understood the nature of his pledge or else he lied when he said: "The other way no matter who has picked them the Reverend Campbell controls them absolutely as long as he wants them. This way no man can leave him until he gives the word." This idea was given out at Shelbyville among those delegates who bad not heard the news that the Wayne county delegates were going to break. So certain were the men of this, that all the counties stood by their men until the "double cross brigade" led by Bennett Gordon saw that if they did not bolt to Davidson there was apparently danger of some of the other delegations breaking and voting for Campbell. (Gordon was pledged to secure Campbell's election but he did not want to keep his word.)
AND SO WITH CAMPBELL. SIX THE DOUBLE CROSS AHEAD OF BARNARD AND TWELVE AHEAD OF DAVIDSON AND THE OTHERS TRAILING AFTER Gordon double crossed Campbell and bolted for Davidson. That is all. He only broke his word. But what did his word amount to? Just as much, or a little more than it does now! "WHO THEN IS GUILTY OF DIRTY TRICKS IN POUT1CS." WHO THEN BREAKS HIS WORD AND DOUBLE CROSSES THE MAN HE HAS PROMISED HIS VOTE TO? WHO. THEN BY THAT OLD POLITICAL TRICK WITH WHICH THOSE WHO ARE SO FAMILIAR WITH POLITICAL CONVENTIONS BREAKS HIS WORD? WHY! IT IS NONE OTHER THAN BENNETT GORDON (CAMPBELL'S FRIEND) THE MAN WHO HAS DECLARED IX REAMS OF PAPER COVERED WITH INK THAT HE STANDS FOR CLEAN POLITICS. HERE IS THE MAN WHO HAS FOUGHT MR. WATSON BECAUSE HE DECLARED THAT HE HAD NOT KEPT HIS WORD. HAS GORDON KEPT HIS WORD? "WHO THEN IS CAMPBELLS FRIEND? There can be no doubt that Mr. Gordon did break his word and practically every republican in Wayne county knows he broke It. By his own words and his own works he stands convicted of treachery to a man to whom and for whom he professed friendship. And that word and Oat obligation were of Bennett Gordon's own choice. It' might even appear (were the workings of his secret mind known) that he had this in his brain from the beginning. In that case his action was reniedlated. But if the citizens and the republicans of the town desire to look upon this deed of Mr. Gordon's as not p remediated It does indeed look as it Mr. Gordon is so blind to all sense of honor, so confident that he can do no wrong as to be absolutely unreliable. We see little preference except morally. The effect is the same.
GORDON CAN NOT TRUSTED
BE
I
Now Mr. Gordon cornea to the republican primaries with certain pledges and promises both to the
party and to the citizens of Richmond in event of hia successful nomination and election. Having shown the republicans that Ms word and his pledges in previous times have not been kept, having shown by his own flitting around and alighting where he so desires, he asks his treachery and hia broken
pledges to be forgotten. ' SUCH A MAN CANNOT BE TRUSTED.
FOR THE MAN WHO BREAKS A WELL UNDERSTOOD PLEDGE CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO KEEP HIS WORD THE NEXT TIME HE MAKES SUCH A PLEDGE. IF GORDON IS ELECTED WHAT REASON DOES HIS PAST RECORD GIVE THAT HE WILL KEEP HIS PROMISES? Mr. Gordon has as we have said made certain pledges as to what he will do in event of his election. . v Can you believe him? Mr. Campbell believed him. . If his acts in the past were deliberately planned -what does he plaa now? If his acts were unpremeditated, but simply and purely uncontrolled brainstorms where will his brainstorms lead him in the management of the people's business? If his acts are Irresponsible why. treat him as a responsible being. If he is not responsible so that he can not help break ing his word why select him to hold the most responsible place on the republican city ticket?
Items Gathered in From Far and Near
When Greek Meets Greek. (New York World.) ........ Senator Lodge defending Civil Service reform against Senator Bailey's attacks is one of those scenes which can only occur when a man aa solemnly righteous as Senator Bailey meets another man as uniformly successful in securing patronage as Senator Lodge.
One He Overlooked. (Chicago Record-Herald) Prof. Percival Lowell announces that there are four ways by which the world can come to an end. Much to the surprise of the gentlemen who framed the Payne bill he does not mention a downward revision of the tariff as one of them.
Joke Usually on Congress. (Kansas City Star) Senator Bailey's warning to President Taft not to try to boas Congress
would have been more trrifylng, perhaps, if anything serious had happened to President Roosevelt for bcesing. bullying and defying Congress.
- Just a Change of Name. (Philadelphia Telegraph) The announcement has been made from Buffalo that the Democrats will have a magazine. . Thia Is merely a change of name. Heretofore the Jeffersonian ammunition has been fondly referred to as the 'barrel."
Will Look Mighty Rested. v (Atlanta Constitution.) If Roosevelt escapes the foreign cannibals and returns to the Unite J States his first remark may be "My, my! You haven't grown an Inch in my absence!"
Has an Inexhaustible Supply. ' (Kansaa City Star.) The Government need not hesitate) ' to take Mr. Harriman's advice. Mr. Harriman always baa plenty more.
Mr. Roosevelt Is more at sea than j President Roosevelt used to be. !
Political Announcements
Advertisements in This Column Cost Ten Dollars for all Offices Except Councilmen which Are Five Dollars
FOR MAYOR. K2NRY W. DEUKER is a candidate for mayor, subject to the Republican nomination.' SAMUEL K. MORGAN, candidate foi Mayor, subject to the Republican nomination. EDWARD H. HARRIS is a candidate for Mayor, subject to the Republi can nomination. FOR CITY CLERK. BALTZ A. BESCHER is a candidate for the offiee of city clerk of Richmond, subject to the Republican nomination. FOR JUDGE OF CITY COURT. LUTHER C. ABBOTT is a candidate for Judge of the City Court of Richmond, Ind., subject to the Republican nomination., ;7 COUNC1LMAN AT-LARGE. MATT VON PEIN is a candidate for the office of Councilman-at-large, subject to the Republican nomina- . tion. FOR COUNCILMAN. JESSE J. EVANS, candidate for Councilman for Second Ward, subject to the Republican nomination.
Not Dangerous Only Noisy. (Richmond Times-Dispatch) A little Venezuelan is a dangerous thing.
Knlcker Why did yon discbarge your chauffeur? Bocker He persisted Id taking his friends out when the
the auto. New Xork
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