The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-07-08
THE KEYNOTE

Democratic party will make It's fight
on the failure Of congress 10 follow
the recommendation OF the execu-
tive. Every accusation laid against
the Republican party by Theodore
Bell in his Keynote speech at the
Democratic convention was aimed at
the do-nothing policy Of congress as
indicating insincerity on the part Of
the Republican party in its platform
pledges. OF course, the shallowness
Of this reasoning will be made ap-
parent in the campaign, when the
record of the Roosevelt admlnistra-
ton and Taft's connection with t..
and his diplomatic achievements are
brought forward in their proper rela-
ton to the issues. The proposals of
the president we're new and extraord-
inarily frequent. Congress is a rep
resentative body and reflects the at
titude OF the country, in the sense
that congress seldom takes a radical
step until II receives an urgent
"hunch" for its constituency. Each
CONGRESSMAN looks to the effect OF his
action on the votes "back home" In
this instance, to be sure. the Roose-
welt program has proven so popular
that the "hunch" may knock some
statesmen of their political feet; but
the administration will not be affect
ed by that situation.
On the tariff Mr.. Bells weakness
reflects the unsteady attitude in
which his party is approaching the
subject of revision. Once Democ-
racy boosted of its free trade" pre-
elections and then modified its views
TO fit the definition of "tariff for
revenue only" 1t elected a presi-
dent and congress on that issue. 1t
scoffed at the declaration that the
tariff should be revised by the friends
of Protection: but now Mr.. Bell says:
There is a vast difference between
the protection of American industries
and the protection of criminal mo-
nopolies."
Indeed, there is; but Mr.. Bell is
the first Democratic speaker we ever
heard admit 1t.
He advocates withholding the
SHELTER of the tariff from those
who USE 1T. not for legitimate
SELF-PROTECTION; but for the
criminal purpose Of extorting the last
dollar from the American consumer"
Why, Mr.. Bell - Mr.. Bryan
doesn't the consumer pay the
tariff?" Isn't all tariff for the pur-
pose of "extorting the last dollar?"
4 What treason is this? Was II on
account OF this that David B. Hill
and Ben Tillman and John Sharp
Williams went to Europe, and Joe
Bailey got the sore throat?
That talk about Legitimate self
protection" in the tariff, can mean
nothing less than confession of
faith in the Protective Tariff. Free
trade is consigned TO the company OF
free silver and government owner
ship. Such a conversion doesn't carry
conviction. We very much fear that
the leaders at Denver have been
specializing on the underlying reason
for Republican success and they are
adopting platform. which they
think is the fetish of the opposition.
They must learn that the success
OF the dominant party is found in its
capacity for adapting itself to condi-
tons as they arise. II has met every
emergency and proved equal to the
task of developing nationality. The
Democratic leaders, inexperienced in
craftsmanship, accustomed only to
participation In the government so
far as opposition speeches go, and
basing their theories of statecraft on
mere tradition. remote from the
problems of today, make the error of
thinking the party in power shapes
its policies and conforms to them in
everything; whereas, the party's poll
cies are shaped by the contingencies
OF government, and its longevity is
dependent upon it's facility OF adjust
ment. For instance Il has met the
contingency OF foreign war; the ad-
ministration of island possessions. the
policing of the western hemisphere.
the building Of the Panama canal.
the Asiatic crisis. the necessity for in
ternal reform and trade expansion.
How we'll 1t has attended to the
affairs will be the test to be applied
to the party. in power. There are
moral reforms to be made; and there
are bad men in the Republican party,
who obstruct such reforms. But the
party is not responsible for them any
more than Mr.. Bryan is responsible
for Boss Murphy. Colonel Guffey,
Roger Sullivan. Tom Taggart, owner
OF the Indiana gambling resorts, and
other undesirables.
Mr.. Bells advocacy OF a feet in
the Pacific Is a tacit tribute to the
craftsmanship that sent the fleet into
Asiatlc waters; and his surrender to
the principles of Protection leave
nothing but trivial issues to he
fought over.