The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-12
CAN'T RE DONE.

Mir. Dalrymple. the Glasgow expert. who was brought over by Mayor Dunne to regulate things in Chicago and didn't do it.. told the Chicago ans that the first thing to do towards municipal ownership Is to take 1t out of politics. We have been hearing that advice these many years. The scotchman gives us no new informa- ton. for his is the language of all would-be reformers here and else where.
 He might have gone a little further and told how the municipal affairs of the large cities can be taken out of politics. In New York. in Philadel- phia. Chicago, in short. in all cities where there are two or more political parties there will be politics in all municipal elections. One might as we'll talk about keeping religion out of the churches. The mayoralty of great city is an important office. It involves patronage and pull. influence and profit, and various other things worth contesting for. The office is of value to all thu politicians of the city, and especially to those who are on the make. That campaign for such an office should be a political one is natu- ral, under present conditions. and we know of no possible way of avoiding 1t.
 The same thing runs through all our affairs. At recent national con- vention of manufacturers ono of the speakers declared that "the only sci- entifc and equitable solution of the tariff question was to take 1t out of politics" That, also, is a twice-told tale. We hear it periodically, fre- quently. and all other times. The theory is a correct one. The tariff is one thing that directly affects every man. woman and child. It comes home to all races. sects. sexes. ages and conditions. If there is any one portion of our governmental system which should be absolutely divorced and separated from politics and parti- sanship, it is the question of raising revenue. It ought to be thoroughly non-partisan and non-political.
 But what hope have we that any thing of the kind is possible? From the days of Henry Clay. at least. the tariff has been wound up and mixed up with the politics of the country. The whole matter now rests with the Re- publicans. The Democrats in Con- gress have no more control over it than they have over the movements of the planets. They can make speeches and vote for or against any propo- sition of the lRepubHeanss and. that is all. If there is anything done by way of change in the revenue laws. the Re publicans will get the credit or the blame, as the case may be. If Demo- crats were in control of the govern ment, the same thing would occur. We believe they would give the country much more equitable tariff system than tRe opposition will. but 1t would still be political
 And so it goes, and so it will con- tiilue to be. The next presidential cahpaign will have the tariff for one of the principal Issues. Democrats and Republicans will fight the battle largely on this issue. and there is no help for 1t. And so 1t will be in the municipal affairs of all large cities where there are strong parties. In each it will be a political fight and a political administration to a large ex- tent. We may deprecate such condi- tions and wish for something better. but how are we to get 1t? That Is the problem for the wise men and statesmen to soive-and we have no hope of seeing a solution. Any of us could have said as much as MT. Dal- rymple said. and. probably any of us can come as near telling bow 1t is to be done. Sometimes we think the American people may count themselves fortunate. if they can keep politics out of the churches.