Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1907-03-22
rARLEE TILE ROOT or EVIL.


What he declared to be national hysteria,
not alone 10 the pursuit Of prosperity, but
also 10 present efforts 10 remedy evils 10
which that too eager pursuit has given rise,
was deplored by President Woodrow vii.
son. Of Princeton University, at the banquet
Of the South Carolina Society held In New
York on Monday night last. On this, the
birthday Of the Sage Of Princeton, Grover
Cleveland, DR.. Wilson gave expression TO
views In line with those ennnclated by the
former President In his WashIngtons Birth.
day address at Chicago, od-iashioned equal
Ity and absence Of special privilege forming
his keynote. lie said
at Is interesting 10 note how often pro
Qress Ia pushed To such speed and urged
by such means that the peace Of the coun.
try 10 threatened, its interests thrown into
dlscord. Our trouble al tho present mo.
ment Ia that tariffs and all special means OF
stimulation have been pushed too far and
too fast, TO the destruction Of balance and
harmony 10 the social and economic devel-
opment Of tho country. We arc Obliged to
acknowledge that we have lost our heads In
our pursuit. Of wealth and material power
"a moment Of self distrast, or rather dis
trust Of each other, has come upon us. We
are disconnected and demorAlized, beyond
measure disgustcd, and therefore sadly In
need OF such counsel as shall seek 10 restore
old balances aud harmonIeS and moderation
OF action.
"IIaving lost wise sclf-posseSson In our
too eager progress, we are Ia danger OF los
ing II In our efforts 10 reform.
ave have stimulated material progress
In every way that we could think Of. Tho
chief instrument Of stimulation has been the
tariff. by this means II was sought to give
10 every sort OF organized industry some
special protection Of law. Until recent years
the momentum thus Induced seemed 10
threaten nothing.
"But at last everything moved with a
rush, by ioaps and bounds. Upon colossal
success followed colossal organization. A
spirit Of madness for success upon great
scale seized upon those who actually con.
Quoted the great businesses aud knew how
TO make them pay; madness for money SELF.
ed upon those who undertook their manlpu-
latlon.
I'VE have by our own forgelfulness Of the
true principles OF legislation created classes
aud put colossal interests at clash with one
another. These charges OF our own blind
contrivlng have carried us so far that we
arc actually invited 10 alter the whole plan
Of our constitutional aystem TO set matters
right We are invited TO push government
into every experimental function In order
to correct the vagaries OF development which
we fostered but did not understand
alt will require steady hand and clea
head to 20 TO the root Of the disease, but L
the root we should go. II Is evident, in tht
first place, that We ought not To punish
prosperous men for having accumulated The
wealth we invited them TO accumulate.
believe In income and inheritance taxes, al
means for raising revenue. But do not be
lieve In such taxes, or In any taxes, as q
mere means OF penAlizing the rich. whom
we have invited TO get their wealth under
tub iBstNioko w the NANNNahhOhh AhO tope
of inequality lie not 10 wealth, but the spe
cial Isvors granted by such legislation rs ih,
extravAgant tariff laws which have beer
put upon our statute books since the wal
began between the States.
"What We chiefly need is genuine pur
pose of reform aud sufficient self possession
TO undertake II. The genuine purpose can
not come from friends and benehciaries oil
the legislation OF iosterage and privileges
Il must come from those who are not ii
friends. but lis convinced and earnest oppo
nents. We must get over our hysteria.
The mere reform Of the tariff Is not SUM-
Client; II is mol even an intelligent program
The tariff is by no means the whole root o.
the difficulty, and is slow TO change. Every
correction must be u process Of adjustment
or prudent Encouragement Moreover, We
must be careful TO deal frankly and without
favor with class privilege Of ell kinds.
"There Is another as formidable an enemy
10 equality and freedom Of opportunity as
Il, aud that Is the class formed by the labor