New-York tribune., 1902-10-31
NATION4E ISSUES

Interest Of the voters i'm this campa gn has
been largely taken zap with State issues Mt
Hin al first attempted 20 elect a Governor OF
New-YOrk lay making promises about condemn
ing the coal mines in Pennsylvania. with which.
~ everybody knows. the government Of New
York has nothing 10 do. Finding this scheme
a failure he has taken 10 mudslinglng and TO
falsehOOd With zeal which has served 10 con
centrate attention upon his dlscredited person
ality as chief issue IN a State campaign con-
Quoted by him primarily for his own rehabllita-
lion Nevertheless il should not he forgotten
that We are electing Congressman this fall and
that important questions of national policy are
TO be answered.
In his speech nj Cooper Union last night Mr..
ElIhn Root ihe Secretary OF War. after paying
deserved tribute 10 Governor OdeIrs proved
capacity as a good Governor. who had reduced
taxes improved the State service and earned
reelection. made convincing review of the rea-
sons why the people Of NeyyYork should support
the President aud send 10 Washington House
of Representatives in harmony with his policy.
Few Democrats even will say that President
Roosevelt has not made an honest and indie
pendent executive whose hands should be up
held Indeed. The DemOcracy's chief desire has
been 10 separate the President from his party In
Congress and represent the latter unwilling
10 follow the President in efforts 10 deal with
new questions in an enlightened manner, AS
Secretary Root shows. however. Congress has
passed an abundance of good measures in har-
mony with the Presidents wishes. The one I'M
portant immediate recommendation of the Pres
ident which has not been adopted is measure
OF reciprocity with Cuba and that failed through
an alliance of a few nsurgent Republicans with
Democrats who. while processing devotion 70
Cuba. were ready 10 relieve its distress only il
they sould at the "a me time set the Republicans
bv the ears over general tariff revision.
Mr. Root frankly discusses this question OF
general tariff revision which is being held forth
As A halt To Cleveland Democrats 10 induce them
10 swallow the hook of Hill mastery OF the
Democratic party in the East. He makes no
doubt that various schedules need changing
Are those particular changes. however. impor-
tant enough 10 pay the price Of hghtmg over
the whole list and disturbing business: And,
II So should = revision which il desired mol
because of discomfort with the protective prln-
cinle or the general favorable results OF the
present tarif on our commerce and industry
but because few schedules are Outgrown. be
intrusted to people who would not attempt 10
revise but TO destroy? Under pretence OF chang
ing schedules which have become unduly pro
tective through the advance In our manufact-
IIliDg methods ana me fODScINdAiOn W iihhS
rries. the Democrats would pull down The whole
structure which makes prosperous manufactnr-
ing and growing commerce possible
Mr. Root meets the Democratic talk that lhe
people of moderate means do not share in the
country's prosperity by figures showing that the
cost of living has through series of years been
decreasing while wages have heen Increasing
He cleverly contrasts the Democratic demand
| for centralized control or The coal mines with
Mr. Coler's expressions Of horror over The cen
| Trailing tendencies Of Republican policy 10 curb
| Ihe trusts bv more drastic national legislation
in pursuance of the right Ia control interstate
commerce Facing the cry for Iarin revision to
destroy the trusts. he makes point which every
wage Garner ought carefully 10 think Of What
ever be the evils of trusts does he want 10 de
Siroy the workshops OF the country for the sake
az destroying the objectionable organizations
IN which they are consolidated: Is there no
better way OF curbing The organizations than
by cutting of the tariff which makes profitable
manufacture possible: l. the wage Garner pre-
pared 10 say 10 himself: Il sm working for
trust / will drive my employer ont of busi-
ness because IL il a trust: In that case. after
having satisfied his hatred OF trusts by depriv-
ing himself ~ work be can look about for soup
houses as he did after 1899