New-York tribune., 1900-10-18
DR.. ELIOT ON THE ISSUES.
PRESIDENT OF HARVARD NOT IN FAVOR
OF A CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION.

OF A CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION.
President Charles W. Eliot of Harvard Univer-
sity contributes to The Outlook for october
= an academic article on Political Principles and
Ienuehcles' IN which he says he regards the cleo
uo" ehis autumn not as "a supreme crisis. like the
seeono election Of Lincoln. but only indis-
pehsaDle act in a long drama" DR.. Eliot takes
the hopeful view He points out that "the Amer
lcah people have long had characteristic political
ana social enthusiasm. Their two steady pas
Soato sentiments are for the security. prosperity
ana honor of the Republic and for the spread
among the white races of free institutions and of
the good social conditions which grow out OF
them"
Dr. Eliot takes up the three principal subjects
IN domestic policies that have engaged public at
tention for the last thrty-hve years. First. the
establishment of the sold standard and a sound
banking system; second. public service based on
merit only. and third the protective tariff. On
the subject of sound money he says:
The important gains which have lately been
P, ie on on ths subject are due to majority of the
Eepuohcan party and a minority Of the Democrat
r ~, out az TINS moment the great cause of sound
party alone
he says much progress has been made within
twenty years toward an economical efficient and
honorable public service. and turning TO the tarm
question. continues;
Since the Democratic party has absolutely thrown
away @ the low tariff position which such leaders
It. the reciprocity doctrine of the Republican party
seems to afford the best immediate opportunity
fessed that prosfess toward world vide trade is
than through egislation-that is through the in
CIeaslng superiority of American industries and
Against this change OF improving commerciai
and Industrial conditions by reciprocity treaties
publican party leaders to small groups OF cap
italists who. having made great sums of money
by means of high tariff legislation, are willing 10
maze large contributions Republican campaign
SPECIAL prVIeges T6 GI PreSeryng th{ir n
however much the same corrupt and corrupting
being we'll matched by Messrs. German and Croker.
Next to these leading topics of political debate.
he points out that another portentous subject has
attracted much attention since 1893, namely. the
frequent outbreaks Of popular disorder and violence
in different parts of the country
He says:
The striking thing about many recent outbreaks
Of mob violence has been that they have not been
tonal OF local, Republican or Democrat This
alarming phenomenon is probably due in in some
try Of an effective public force Indeed, unlike
and trustworthy police, constabulary or militia.
country banks and railroad stations robbed,
and numerous crimes Of violence are committed in
Even large cities riots and strikes, accom-
panied by proionged violence. have repeal ledly
taken place In this state of affairs any attack
deDrecated. such an attack is made for the second
time in the platform of the Democratic-PopuIist
party.
Turning his attention to foreign policy President
Eliot says:
Whenever powerful nation goes to war man
Cuba exception in this respect 1t had
inevitable consequences, which mortal could
have fOTeseen, and the graveSt OF these cOnSe-
quences that the country is already committed
beyond immediate recall to the maintenance of a
large navy and a considerable army, and that IL IS
involved in the struggles of the nations Of Europe
for new territory, influence and trade in the Far
East. Under these circumstances the patriotic
citizen has consider this fall whether the public
in power the present Administration, with all its
shortcomings, or by providing wholly untried one
The patriotic citizen may well hesitate to
contribute by vote or influence to a complete
change of Administration. President Mckinley is
surrounded by Cabinet officers of capacity and
experience, and he has put good men at the head
of affairs in Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines
while in case of change in the Presidency nobody
tell to what sort of persons the great Offices
of the Government would be ntrusted.
1t must be confessed that peace loving citizen.
who would like to his country keep her breath
TO cool her own hot pOrridge. cannot but be much
a loss how select his immediate political as
s0Clations. The Republican Administration. sup
ported by Republican majority in Congress, has,
matter of fact been lighting in foreign parts
for two years and a half: the last Democratic Ad-
Britain IN insignificant dispute about unde-
fined portion Of the boundary of Venezuela, and
the actual Democratic ticket in spite OF Mr.
Bryan's definition of the paramount issue is sup
ported by eminent advocates of American partcipa-
ton in all the great contentious of the wide world