The Washington herald., 1907-06-08
SATURDAY. JUNE S. 1907.
Senator Knox's Candidacy.

There is much significance in the fact /
that the first Republican State conven-
ton 20 be held since the discussion Of
Presidential candidates became active |
has ind0rsed the candidacy Of Senator
Knox, even though the Endorsement Is |
that Of a "favOrite SON by his own
State In the first place the Knox can
dldacy, having the tacit approval of the
President. displaces. 20 the extent Of its
strength, the third-term movement. for II
is hardly a tenable proposition that Mr.
Roosevelt is setting uD fayOrite sons in
order that their vote in the national
convention may be thrown TO his own
support II Mr.. Roosevelt we're really
seeking third term. we have no doubt
he would be doing so in the open; and.
indeed. no other course would be desira-
bic, because, in the event Of his renOmi-
nation. the whole campaign would COncen-
ter on the third-term issue, and 1t would
be poor politics not 10 face the issue
boldly from the beginning.
Again. the Knox candidacy garners the
sixty-eight votes of Pennsylvania and
Of depredations on the part Of Mr.. Fair
banks OF Senator Foraker. OF any sO-Called
rsactionaTy. Mr.. Knox is unreservedly
indorsed as part and parcel Of the
Roosevelt administration. as having had
an enduring influence upon its corporation
policy as the savior who pointed out the
way Of redemption from corporate evils
through a constructive Interpretation Of
the Constitution which commended itself
10 the Supreme Court Coupled with
this Endorsement OF the Senator is an
unqualified approval Of everything that
the Roosevelt administration has done
The Knox candidacy then. IS firmly
planted on Roosevelt ground. THE sup
port Of the Presidents administration. 20
as the Philadelphia Press declares, "is
inseparable from a Knox movement The
two go hand in hand I'm historical asso-
citation and logical relation Senator
Knox could not be sustained as a Presi-
Dental candidate without an approval Of
the policies which he had so large part
in framing. and those policies cannot be
upheld without recognizing his cOnspicu-
ous part in their development" The ac-
ton Of the Pennsylvania convention is
thus no less a personal triumph for
President Roosevelt than it is for Senator
Knox.
So far Mr.. Knox goes before the coun-
try as a Presidential candidate on a
strong platform and with admittedly
genuine claim for public recognition Of
his valuable service 20 the cause Of cor
pOration reform But in the tariff plank
Of the Pennsylvania platform We fear
there IS a serious handicap 20 the Knox
boom. Of which the Senator's rivals win
hardly fail 20 take advantage. That
plank has the old and familiar stand-pat
ring. It declares "uufaltering allegiance
10 the great principle Of protection 20
American labor. American industries. and
American products" Not a syllable of re-
vision. reciprocity or the removal Of the
foolish restrictions which shackle our
foreign commerce. Instead. there IS a
reaffirmation Of the Republican national
platform Of 1904 with its confident lauda-
ton Of the Dingley tariff rs the sum of
all economic wisdom That may be all
very well for Pennsylvania. but the rest
Of the country has grown away from the
tariff plank Of 1904, and we apprehend
that the next tariff utterance will have
10 read quite differently to sound well to
the voters Of 1903.
We feel certain that Mr.. Knox's candl-
dacy would have been strengthened
everywhere by a declaration for tariff
revision, which, coming from the strong
hold of protectionism, would have been
an earnest Of sincerity Of purpose on the
part Of the Republican party 10 take up
the tariff question I'm a spirit of reform
The tariff plank adopted is apt ia
hare just the contrary effect, in spite Of
the assertion of Mr. Knoxs friends that
he is willing TO have Congress undertake
revision in 1910