Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-06-21
BREAKERS AHEAD.

per, should be warning to be needed
by its party, and an effort made to
steer clear of the breakers" in place
OF steering for them. That paper says
"The political effect of the Supreme
Court decision in the insular cases is
easy OF apprehension. 1t will not ap-
pease, but thoroughly arouse, that
large body Of citizens who dread colon
ialism as it exists in Europe. Close
upon the heels upon satisfaction that
Congress will have free play to do
what is right and necessary in the de-
tendencies, will come popular de-
mand that this privilege be not abused,
but exercised for the highest good Of
the islands, our trust and not our spoil
1t is perfectly certain that between
the two great parties this sentiment is
more likely to choose for its express
sion the Democratic than the Re-
publican. There is no danger of scut-
tie IN the Philippines or their sum-
mary abandonment. 1t is not neees-
sary to vote the Republican ticket to
retain them. The question in many
minds will be how best to secure gen.
erous treatment for them, politically
and commercially, and the method
that will naturally suggest itself is a
Democratic ballot.
"This is only one of the many
causes operating to the present disad-
vantage of the Republicans. Under
lying most of them are questions, in
some form, of trust, tariff and labor
The trust burden is partly associated
with the dependencies themselves, for
to the trusts is ascribed responsibility
for the Porto Rico injustice ard con-
templated spoliation OF the Philip
pines. The steel kings have shown
their hand in their desire for perpetu-
alton Of present tariffs and antagonism
to organized labor. In this they can
hardly fail to count on much SYM
pathy in Republican ruling circles, and
yet more certainly on increasing dis
trust among workingmen. The halo
that has surrounded the protective
tariff has disappeared from the work.
mans view, and his disillusion will be
vigorously promoted by the spectacle
OF high-tariff trust magnates denounc-
ing unions and trying in practice to
break them down. The labor vote ID
drifting away from the Republican
party, because of its transparent affili-
alton with great corporations, at war
with organized labor, and clinging to
excessive and superauous protective
duties.
In the State of Ohio the tendency
is likely to be revealed this fall in the
defeat of Gov. Nash, the election of a
Democratic Legislature and the super
sedure of Foraker by a Democrat in
the Senate. In Ohio such legitimate
disaffection as exist concerning Re-
publican policies will be strongly en-
forced by the socialistic impulse,
which in that State, as we'll as Indi-
ana, has gained considerable strength
within recent years. Greenbackism,
pauperizing influences of protection
and pensions, and the intensely utili.
tartan and opportunist character of
Ohio Republicanism, have formed a
fertile soil for socialism there, which
has responded to the sowing of modern
doctrines of public ownership, union
lied labor, and, in cities, wide open
municipal policies.
"The things that have kept the
Democratic party from power, with in
structions to reform the tariff, have
been purely fortuitous and of its own
unlucky choice. One was its opposi-
tion to the war for the Union, another
was its espousal of deprecated cur
rency, another was its demand for
hauling down the flag in the Philip
pines. Unless it can get some new
absurdity for use in the direction OF
mastery mismanagement, it is apt to
be called to control of the government.
Perhaps it may be lucky enough this
time to keep its fool mouth shut and
let fate thrust victory upon it, by max
ing it the humble and underserving in
strument of punishment upon the Re-
publican party for its SINS"