Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-10-25
The Daily lntelligencer.
LANCASTER, OCTOBER rs. isss.
Patriotism and Businfss.

Mr.. John Wanamaker thinks that he is
IN abused man, in being selected for ami
madversion because of his having fac
tory in Berlin; ard because Of his at.
tempting to get a lower rate Of duty on
his imported ribbons, along with hun
drods of other importers. Mr.. Wana.
maker thinks he has done nothing for
which he should be abused; and certainly
he has not done anything which he had
not right to do. That is not charged
aud he seems really unable to understand
for what he is being criticised. He has
been so used to guiding his business con-
duct by money considerations, that when
he blooms out in the field of politics he
fails to realize that patriotic conduct is
not always money making conduct.
Mr.. Wanamaker describes himself to
IN interviewing reporter as occupying
Just now three positions; and his difficulty
Is in not being able to run them all by the
same rule. He says: 81 am upon the
electoral ticket that stands for protection.
As a business man ] buy everywhere
throughout the world, but as little as |
can. AS an American citizen labor to
build up our own industries"
IL is easy to understand that as a Re.
publican elector Mr.. Wanamaker is for a
high protective tariff, which is the Re-
publican policy. But his trouble comes
when "as a asbusiness man. " buying
throughout the world as cheaply as posi-.
BILE, he is required TO defeat high pro-
tective duty upon the foreign ribbons he
buys; and when as an American citizen
he llabors to build up our own industries,
and builds up factory in Berlin, Prus.
sia.
1t is all right for Mr.. Wanamaker tc
get his ribbons as cheap as he can and tC
make his garments in his own shops in {
foreign land. But it certainly will no
do for him, while he is pursuing this yer,
proper business conduct, to claim that III
"labors TO build up our own industries,
and that he favors high protective tarif
as apatriot.
Nor does 1t at all help Mr.. Wanamaker
sueing thegovernment to get reduce,
duty on ribbons, to declare that " tn
case, to my personal regret, was decide
10 my favor" That is just the oddes
thing that any sensible man could /
credited with saying and show
how very much tangled Mr.. Wanamak,
Is, in considering his trlplicate state as
business man, Republican elector, an
patriot. For what sensible reason ca
Mr.. Wanamaker give for sueing the go
ernment, when his success will brir
him personal regret ?" Has he al
wicked partners, who CONTROL him
Surely he need not have sued becau
other bad and unpatriotic importe
chose to do so. He should have permittt
them to shoulder the responsibility
what he believed to be their evil conduc
1.-The really believed it to be evil.
We are very much of the opinion th
Mr.. John Wanamaker is q very mut
used up man as a Republican electC
preacher and patriot; as a business mi
he may do; but he has had his win
clipped as politician. We do not at
doubt the truth Of his statement that
did not urge the trial of that ribbon 81
at this time, but that the United Stat
attorney compelled him to go to tri
Sour attorney requested when this ca
came round to have it deferred and W
refused, and can show you the letter
the United States district attorney col
pelling us to 90 to trial. 1t WAS ct
tainly a confoundedly bad time for t
trial to come off, while Mr.. Wanamab
was running for elector, and posing
patriot and politician.