The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-07-27

r. & y Z
1--WE; ask that sober and sensible men!
fsconpare the workings Of the present
33startff law. and the conditions which OBJ
tain TN der It, with the workin IS Of the
preceding tariff law OF 1904 and the
Econditions which that tariff of 1894
| helped to bring about.
| We believe in reciprocity with for
! eign nations on the terms outlined in
President McKinley's last speech,
which urged the extension of our for
| eign markets by reciprocal agreements
| whenever they could be made without
| injury to American industry and labor
| 1t is a singular fact that the only
great reciprocity treaty recently adopt
ed-that with Cuba-was finally OPP
posed almost alone by the representa-
tives of the very party which now
states that it favors reciprocity. And
here again we ask that the worth of
oul. words be judged by comparing
their deeds with ours. On this Gu
ban reciprocity treaty there were at
the outset grave differences of opin-
ion among ourselves; and the notable
thing in the negotiation and ratifica-
ton Of the treaty, and in the legisla-
ton which carried it into effect, was
the highly practical manner in which
without sacrifice of principle these
differences of opinion were reconciled.
There was no rupture of a great party,
but an excellent practical outcome,
the result of the harmonious co-opera-
ton of two successive Presidents and
two successive Congresses. This is an
illustration of the governing capacity
which entities us to the confidence of
the people not only in our purposes
but in our practical ability to achieve
those purposes. Judging by the his
tory of the last twelve years, down to
this very month, is there justification
for believing that under similar cir
c'mstances and with similar initial
differences OF opinion. our opponents
would have achieved any practical
result?
We have already shown in actual
fact that our policy is to do fair and
equal justice TO all men, paying no
heed TO whether a man is rich or
poor: paying no heed to his race his
creed, or his birthplace.
We recognize the organization of
capital and the organization of labor
as natural outcomes OF our industrial
system. Each kind of organization is
to be favored so long as it acts in a
spirit OF justice and OF regard for the
rights of others. Each is to be grant
ed the full protection of the law, and
each in turn is to be held to strict
obedience to the law; for no man is
!,
humblest individual is to have his
rights safeguarded as scrupulously as
those OF the strongest organization,
for each is TO receive justice, no more
and no less. The problems with which |
we have to deal in our modern indus
trial and social life are manifold; but |
the spirit in which it is necessary TO |
approach their solution is simply the |
spirit of honesty. of courage, and OF |
common sense.
In inaugurating the great work Of ir-
rigation in the West the administra-
ton has been enabled by Congress to
take one of the longest strides ever
taken under our government toward |
utilizing our vast national domain for
the settler, the actual home-maker.
Ever since this continent was dis
covered the need of an 1sthmian Ca
nal to connect the Pacific and the At
lantic has been recognized; and ever
since the birth of our nation such a
canal has been planned. AT last the
dream has become reality The 18TH
milan Canal is now being built by the
of the United States. We
conducted the negotiation for its con-
with the incest and most
scrupulOuS honor, and in spirit OF
the largest generosity toward those
whose territory it was to run.
Every sinister effort which could be
devised by the spirit of faction or the
spirit OF self-interest was made in or
der to defeat the Treaty with Panama
and thereby prevent the conSumma-
ton of this work. The construction
Of the canal is now an assured fact:
but most certainly it is unwise to in
trust the carrying out of so momen-
tous policy to those who have en-
leavored to defeat the whole under
taking.
Our foreign policy has been so con
lucted that, while not one OF our Just
claims has been sacrificed, our rela-