The Washington herald., 1908-03-05
The Ohio Republican Platform.

While the Ohio Republican platform in
dorses much that the Roosevelt admins
tration has done, il neglects 10 mention
numerous things that he has proposed
should be done. We fail to see anything
In II relating TO Federal Incorporation of
railroads and interstate corporations. or
10 an increase in the powers and jurisdic
tion of the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion. There is, indeed, a very significant
omission Of any reference TO prospective
legislation regarding the trust or corpora
tion problem in any OF its phases In
these respects. as in some others that we
shall presently mention, the platform sug-
gests the inspiration OF the judicious Taft
rather than that of the impetuous ROose-
welt. though both are said TO have ap-
proved the draft Of the document before
it made it's appearance at Columbus.
There is a tone Of conservatism about il
that reflects a cautious approach of con-
troverted questions, and the delightful in
deAniteness of its phrasing recalls the
best models Of platform-making.
we Judge that public attention will be
more particularly directed TO the plank
threatening retaliation on the South for
its Acknowledgement Of the negro than
10 any other feature of the platform.
This plank Is Taft's atonement for
Brownsville. Something had TO be done
10 remedy that political blunder, and it
has come in the form Of pious ex-
preston of belief that the representa-
ton In Congress OF States with Jim crow
suffrage laws should be reduced IN ac-
cordance with the fourteenth amendment
Never has such an expression found place
in a Republican national platform, and its
appearance in an enunciation of political
beliefs having Mr.. Tafts approval is
surprising in view of his comparatively
recent public acceptance Of suffrage con-
ditions in the South as a temporary solu-
ton of a difficult problem. May T. be in
ferred that political exigency has forced
this challenge 20 the South. and that when
the exigency shall have passed nothing
more will be heard OF il? Or IS il part of
the Taft programme 10 revive sectional
animosity and exacerbate racial feeling2
The thing seems almost incredible, and
yet, If the Ohio platform be not mere
buncombe. it means just that We pre-
fer to belie~e that this extraordinary
plank is intended solely to enthuse the
colored brother and perhaps to scare
wavering voters in Maryland by a threa,
10 deprive their State Of its present Con-
gressional representation if it shall dis
franchise the negro.
The tariff plank invites comparison
with the one reported By Joseph B. For
aker to the Republican national conven-
tion Of 1892 That plank affirmed that
tariff duties should be equal to the diff
ference between wages at home and
abroad" The Taft plank favors duties
that viii equal the difference between
the cost of production at home and
abroad. together with a reasonable
profit" We leave il TO the experts TO
figure out the precise variation between
Foraker in 1892 and Taft in 1905 The an
swer will show the progress made by the
Republican party in the direction of a
reduction Of tariff duties since the en-
actment Of the Mckinley bill What a
revision Of the tariff. insUring the main
tenance Of protection, means. we have
lately been Informed in no uncertain
words by Mr.. DalzeIl. one Of the men
who VIII do the revising. If it is done by
Republicans at ALL
And lastly, we come to that splendid
outburst of American optimism wherein
we are congratulated on our safe pas
sage through a financial disturbance. "
and hidden to hail with confidence the
signs Of a returning prosperity. Repub-
lican prosperity! Temporarily absent;
but with abundant faith We discern its
approach on the wings Of the election. II
II were only there. it would be the best
thing in the platform.