Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-01-05
THECASEOF DOUGLAS.
HIS ELECTION NOT A VICTORY FOR
TARIFF REVISION.
Massachusetts Governor Not Likely
to BE the Moses of HIS Party-OII
5 Bay State stiIl Firm For Protection
and Prosperity. i 80 a


to BE the Moses of His Party--OII
Bay State stiIl Firm For Protection
and Prosperity. .
Free traders and certain OF their Re
publican allies are quite juEilaut over
the election Of Douglas as governor of
Massachusetts,. The fact that this
Democratic candidate received plu-
rality Of about $4,000 in state which
gave Roosevelt $4,000 seems to indicate
to these cheerful optimists great vic
tory for tariff revision and reciprocity
III competitive products. They point to
the result in Massachusetts as denot-
ing a tremendous popular upheayal
against what is called stand pat pro-
tectionism. 1t will be found, we think,
that the facts of the case are far from
supporting their view. From a gentle
man in, Boston who is especially well
Informed regarding political matters
we have received the following:
It is ridiculous for Mr. Douglas or his
friends to claim that his election was due
to his support Of the cause of reciprocity
with Canada. I doubt If that secured
him a thousand votes. He was elected be-
cause certain dissatisfied Republicans
wanted to discipline Governor Bates and
they overdid their work. Probably only
few Of them desired to defeat him, but
simply wanted to reduce his majority as
lesson. fffi5,- .sNq &a
That this is fair and accurate esti-
mate of the question of cause and eff
feet in Massachusetts there is every
reason to believe. That the election Of
Douglas did not and does not imply a
big popular demand for tariff tinkering
Is more than suggested by the result i'll
the Eleventh Congressional district,
where Foss was defeated by Sullivan
by,a plurality of 1000. Foss, the Re
publican candidate, was to Massachu-
sets what Cummins was for time in
Iowa, the foremost zealot in behalf Of
ripping up the Dingley tariff alike by
direct reduction and by free trade reci-
procity with Canada and other coun-
tries. He received the nomination by
primary vote which represented
scarcely one-half of the Republican
vote Of the district, and he made the
canvass solely on the issues of imme-
date tariff revision and reciprocity
On these issues Douglas, Democrat,
was not more radical than Foss, Re-
publican. Yet in a district normally
Republican by more than COCO plu-
| rality Foss was beaten 1000 votes by
| his Democratic opponent If there was
| such tremendous Republican boom
for revision and reciprocity how shall
we explain what happened to Foss
This is the second time he has beer
! turned down by the Republicans Of the
Eleventh district. Twice they have
told Mr.. Foss that they would rather
be represented in congress by Demo
| crat than by free trader wearing 6
Republican mask.
| The reelection of Lieutenant Govern
| or Guild, straight out Republican
whose views on the questions of re
vision and reciprocity We're exactly thu
same as those Of Governor Bates, af
fords additional proof that DougIa:
was not successful because of his fire,
trade attitude. Mr.. Guild received &;
plurality Of over $4,000, and he is ,
stanch protectionist.
Mr.. Douglas should waste no time il
| practicing the role of Moses to tariff
disaffected Republicans in Massachu
sets or elsewhere. He is not wanted
in that capacity. The country is no
looking for that kind of Moses
Roosevelt's tremendous plurality o.
over 100000 would seem to indicate
| this with fair degree of certainty
Let Mr.. Douglas content himself will
looking after his private business anG
| attending faithfully to his duties as
governor Of Massachusetts. If he sue
ceeds in this dual capacity ne will be
doing quite well. A broader field OF
renown may in time open up for him
but not now. Massachusetts is still a
Republican and protectionist state.