Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-03-01
Democrats Conservation.

GNGlONA0NJ 0&oRVSAtA0A A0WAAA -
listing evils and injurious institutions
which have fastened themselves in sub
stantial growth is, and ought to be,
sane. There is no desire on the part
Of Democracy to wreak mischief; to
destroy without regard for the welfare
of legitimate business. There is no
mind TO do violence where sound meth
cd will achieve a better end Democ-
racy will pursue no hysterical purpose,
but rather a calm and scientific course
of eradication consistent with the least
disruption.
But, on the other hand, it will by no
means content itself with the kind of
conservatism expressed in Mr.. Roose
velt's famous back-down message On
the tariff and trusts, in which he de-
clared that the evils in these institu-
tons were overmatched by the good
and that to disturb the evils would be
dangerous. In fact, the operation of
attacking them at all seemed to him to
be so very delicate that he declined to
advise it. He announced the doctrine
of liberation of ills and submission to
injury.
Democracy will not consent to view
as necessary evils" such matters as
Federal corruption, mulcting tariff pro-
lection and the palpable disorders Of
the trusts.
Speaking upon the tariff, Representa-
tive Williams, in his recent and widely
a fhn
discriminative views which character
ize the Democratic attitude, saying
that his party had no desire to demolish
the tariff at a single blow, to explode
it with dynamite, or TO pull down its
pillars and throw down the structure
with crash. 1t would require con-
siderable time to reconstruct tariff
on Democratic principles. In his opin-
ion, though, the party's final intent was
clear. To Democracy tariff virtually
represents a tax upon consumers. A
Democratic tariff, therefore, should as
nearly as might be provide for equal
taxation of consumers; for an equalized
charge upon consumption, or the thing
consumed.
Mr.. Williams thus correctly inter
preted Democratic conservatism, Re
publican conservatism is a misnomer,
unless the English language has suf-
fered a distinct loss of meaning. The
Republican party stands pat on its
Federal scandals, ON the trust, on the
tariff and especially on its machine
organization now in the flower of de-
velopment The Republican party is
loath to forego the more abundant
fruitfulness which eight years perfec-
ton of q machine holds forth. 1t is
obliged to seek vindication upon its
past record, its past policies; 1t is rig
idly held by circumstance to the de-
Tense of its career, its purposes, its
attachments. Change Of attitude is
utterly denied il. Its forced position,
from which the times admit Of no es-
cape. is expressed in the unfortunate
phrase "stand pat; signifying extreme
negation; excluding the idea of deter
mination to act, to improve to move
at all; denying intention and suggesting
impotence of will. "Stand pat' is the
position of dire extreme, a party
forced against a wall. Can there be
! conservatism in such an ultra atti-
tude?
The country is thoroughly tired of
"stand pat' which denies not only the
possibility of remedy, but the existence
of essential wrongs. Democracy will
nova ALONG a middle course carefully
guarding against unnecessary damage,
| seeking gradually to effect desirable
changes.-St. Louis Republic.