Evening star., 1909-05-29
Watterson and Bailey.

second tariff debate--or rather a
tariff debate within a tariff debate-ls IN
progress. Senator Bailey and MIR. Wat
terson have locked horns. The former
is the leader of the democrats who de-
clare against free raw materials. The
latter is one of the most distinguished
of the democrats who years ago COM
mitted the party to that policy.
Said Mr. watterson to Mr.. Bailey:
Senator Bailey, demanding that the
magnates of the steel trust be put in
jail. votes to put them in palaces by vot-
ing for tariff on iron ore and against
the old democratic doctrine of free raw
materials"
Said Mr.. Bailey from his place In the
Senate to Mr. Watterson:
These things would be more persuasive
to me if they came from sources that
have always been loyal in their support
of the democratic party and its candi-
dates.
THE old democratic doctrine of free
raw materials. How old? Old enough,
thank God, to have perished before this
day; and yet not so old as that it ever
received the Endorsement of the demo.
cratic fathers. 1t was In a season or
madness and folly proclaimed rs demo-
cratic doctrine; but it has long since Deen
rejected as a democratic heresy
In reply to this Mr.. Watterson now
says:
THE Courier-J Journal fears it is so OBJ
tuse as to fail to understand the mentai
processes by which the senator takes II
to himself as a virtue to reject platforms
of the democratic party while discredlting
the Courer-Journal for having rejected
candidates of the democratic party, as he
would discredit 1t when he says tnat
these things would be more persuasive
to me if they came from sources that
have always been loyal in their support
OF the democratic party and its candi-
dates For the life of us we cannot
grasp the sharp distinction which Mr..
Bailey makes between rejecting a party
candidate and rejecting party plat
form.
1t so happens that in 1895 Mr.. Waiter
son rejected both the candidate and the
platform-the former because of the lat
ter. He was in Europe at the time. but
in touch with the political situation at
home, and promptly cabled his senti-
ments. His objection was not to the
tariff plank OF the platform. which Mr..
Bailey had framed. but to the financial
plank declaring for free silver at 10 to !.
That plank aroused Mr.. Watterson, ana
he paid cable toll on the message. NO
compromise with dishonor.'
Mr. Bailey was on the scene. and. as al
ready STATED, Hclpcu prepare thC piotioi
And yet. according to the newspaper re-
ports Of that day, he came within an ace
himself of rejecting the candidate. and
retiring from the race for reelection to
the House that year. Returning TO
Washington after the Chicago convention.
he was quoted as declaring that Mr..
Bryan was not a democrat. but popu-
list But he changed his mind, supported
the ticket. was reelected to the House,
and is now one of his party's ablest rep
resentatives in public life
Each of these men has foeman worthy
of his steel. They are well matched like
wise as 10 opportunity for discussion. Mr..
Watterson's newspaper issues seven days
in the week and the Senate, of which
Mr.. Bailey Is member. at present sits
six days in the week Let the debate con-
tinue. No subject is. and no two men
are, more interesting.