The San Francisco call., 1898-07-02
THE OPENING GUNS.

l N Pennsylvania and in the neighboring State of l Ohio the campaign which is to end with the fall elections has virtually begun The contendng par ties lined up for battle and the issues on whlchthe result is to depend are being rapidly formulated In both States the silver question has subsded and 1t appears the main fighting will be done over matters rising out of the
 ! The Philadelphia Record, gold standard free trade paper has taken advantage of the situation to try to make its way back to the Democratic camp, and in order to effect this has begun vigorous attack upon certain policies advocated By the Republicans. One of the measures favored by Republicans to which the Record objects and in opposition to which 1t wishes to array the Democracy the construction Of the Nicaragua canal. On that subject 1t says:
 "For years this project has been urged upon Con- gress by powerful lobby but 1t has been beaten ott because of the grave doubts as to the physical eas bity of maintaining the canal n region ot vol canoes earthquakes and tornadoes and because also of its dubious financial success, we'll as of the poli- tical complications in which it would inevitably in volve this Government in Central America But since the Nicaragua canal has also become official meas ure of Republican administration it can be defeated only by the refusal of the people to send Republican majority to the next Congress-.
 While it is by no means desirable that great com mercia enterprise like that of the construction of the Nicaragua canal should be made party issue, the Republicans will not be averse to accepting a cha- lenge from Democracy the issue if 1t should be made. The need of waterway across Nicaragua has long been apparent to persons interested in American commerce, and the events of the war have now made it known to all classes If, the Record says, the canal be defeated only by the refusal of the people to send Republican majority to the Congress" there will be additional reason why a Republican should be elected from every Congressional district in the Union.
 On another point however, the Record makes a effective shot against the Republican platforms of the two States Commenting upon the declarations in favor of American shipping it says:
 "If the Republican party had been friendly to this policy of steamship bountes and discriminating duties on imports it would have been adopted when the Dingley tariff became law The notorious twenty second paragraph making discriminations in duties has been ruled out of the Dingley act by Attor- ney Generals opinion, and, notwithstanding the ex- stence of protectionst majority in both houses of Congress- the paragraph is as dead if it had never been enacted"
 There is no evading that statement, and retort to it save the foolish one that Democrats have done no more for our merchant marine than Republicans have done and that the Wilson bill was as barren as that now in force of discriminating duties. Such retort however, IS not worth the making. The Re publican party and the administration have pledge to the people which has not been fulfilled So long as nothing is done for our merchant marine so long will the party be justly subject to the taunts Of its opponents. For Republican State conventions to adopt resolutions declaring in favor of promoting American shipping is good but it would be better to have the Republican majority in Congress pass bill the subject In that, as in all things else actions talk loder than words