The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-04-18

MUSHROOM POLITICAL ISSUES.
TIE polltepi issue which grows up
like mushroom II avoided by ali good
politicians
Trusts are q mushroom Issue Cur-
rency ss o. soadsfocl And tarfH 10
weed A decade hence they viii all be
used To gertilEze the same ground
II In an easy mistake to imagine that
SUCH raernentzrffy oversnaGowe6 things
az trusts are new and sngrossfng exc
merits in politics They appear swiftly
ard dramatically. appealing strongly 70
the imagination ard exciting arprenen-
sion because Of their newness. But the
passing al a brief period az time usually
brings about a natural adjustment by
which the apparently abnormal be-
comes commonplace.
Several notable Developments TN
American history have undergone this
process. none more distinctly than tar
If and currency. Clevelands powerful
influence, reinforced By the teachings OF
the universities and the Journalism OF
such men as Henry Watterson and
George William Curtis, magnified the
protective tariff and paterualisrn into
gorgon and the public SUNK away In
terror 10 the visionary refuge OF free
trade, or tariff for revenue only. So
soon as the Cleveland party got into
power the public discovered that they
had been frightened by bogey. Tariff
In now lifeless Issue. No political par
ty could gain or lose by adopting 1t as
a central principle.
Currency shot into prominence on the
aaventitieus circumstance Of finan-
ciaI panic 1t seemed big and mighty
for time. Many people lost their heads
over IL. as they did oser green. IA IS
ia 1872 and 1876 But the restoration of
bnsineSs activity and prosperity proved
the emptiness of the issue. Currency
can never be IA live question again I'M
less fortaitous commercial events re.
yiye IL
As matter OF plain logic and SUBJ
stantiahle argument. tariff is. as Han
Democratic attempt to revise the Re
publican schedule split upon this fact.
The relation of the metals and the en-
tire question of the value OF money is. in
a similar manner. as ayerred by Jeffer
son, a commercial question. Natural
law will determine it.
Trusts are a local issue, also. Their
growth viii continue until TX has ex-
hausted the experimental stage and set
tied into the practical harness OF max
irg enormously capitalized institutions
pay interest on the money invested.
Quite as much time may be required for
the final evolution as was required for
bringing the watered-stock railroads to
bankruptcy. but the end Is perfectly in
eyitabIe. Trusts will be absorbed into
the community organization by grad
uai steps. Local laws win meet local
conditions: Federal laws will be devised
In the same way that interstate COM
MERGE laws have been devised for appli-
cation to common carriers: and with
each step forward the political impor-
tanee Of the trusts VIII decline. 1t Will
be impossible TO make a lasting national
issue upon them. Their existence does
not involve any fundamental national
problem.
There Is quite as much fdieness In a
political party trying 10 build Itself into
power upon a matter Of this kind which
is provided for by natural law, as there
is In trying to get into power on mogi-
hund IS 10 proposition. The Repub-
lean party will do as IL always has
tone--~vix.. recognize the common sense
Of the situation, and declare for the de-
sising NJ ordinary rules Of restraint ana
government. The Democratic party, GA
the other hand. promises to wander of
after the ignis fasuus Of determination
by declaring itself the enemy OF the
trusts"