The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-08-30
What VILE THEANsWER BE?


There is wise legislation On the
statute books, put there by a Republic
can House and a Republican Senate,
which were elected by the people for
that express purpose. 1t would be pos
sible to partly nullify the b~enehcient
effect of that legislation through hos
tile administration. The elections this
fall can not change the government. A
Republican Senate will still be the fly
wheel of the machine. But a hostile
President and Cabinet could do a great
deal toward Gripping and hampering
the perfect and harmonious working
of the machine.
The question is, do the voters of
his country desire to cripple and ham
per it?
The answer to b question will be
next November. Many thoughtful peo-
pie predict now hat the verdict will
be overwhelmingly in favor OF con-
tinuing the wise administration of eX-
listing legislation. Whatever the out
come, there is certainly logic and
force in the argument in favor OF con-
tinuing conservative administration.
In the first place. if the Democrats
should elect the House = should
elect the President, they could not
accomplish any progress. It is not to
be supposed that a program drawn up
by the Hon. Champ Clark, of Missouri,
who would 'tdemOlish the tariff from
turret TO Foundation stone" would be
Endorsed by the Senate II is not to
be supposed that the soft money, pop
ulistic. socialistic ideas Of Mr.. Bryan
which are secretly approved by the
Southern wing of the Democracy
and that wing is in the ascendant in
the Democratic party-would be ap-
proved by a Republican Senate 1t is
not 10 be supposed hat the existing
status in the Philippines, which was
established by Mckinley, and APPROX
ed in subsequent elections, could be
upset with the approval of the Repub-
lican Senators who labored SO patient
Iy TO fix it. 6
Then it follows that the Democratic
House and the Democratic President,
if elected; could not get anywhere
They could not build up a different
structure. They could only stand and
heave rocks at the windows of the
present structure.
Would that experiment pay the
country? Would it demonstrate any
great economic or governmental fact?
Why would it not be better, saner,
safer, altogether more in keeping with
American ideas OF business and prog
ress, to maintain the administration,
in the House. the Presidency and the
Cabinet?
After all, the questions which are
presented to the voters in the election
questions beyond the ken Of the av-
erage man, the man in the street.
They are largely questions of COM
mon sense. horse sense as they call
it in the West, and it has been. claim
ed that h American people are pecr-
liarly proficient in that kind OF sense.
If hat is the case, it ought not to
take the average voter long to make
up his mind. He does not have to
be a trained coIlegian to tackle the tar
if question. Brought down to the last
analysis, it is merely whether we shall
make our own goods, pay our own peo-
pie living wages, or throw down the
bars to European competition OF IN
derpaid labor. The people understand
the, financial question. as they nave
shown. and nobody undertakes to in
struct them. We have a safe system,
as good as the best in the world, and
we will not be content with less. The
Filipinos are in better shape than they
have ever been and it is due entire
~ to the policy ~inaugurated by Nc
Kinley, approved by the people, car
ried out by Taft and Wright (and
Wright a Southern Democracy and in
sisted upon by Roosevelt and the Re
publican party.
II seems diff cult to believe that the
people want a change of administra-
ton. 1t is evident there can be no
change of legislation.