Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1909-05-14

Deep rooted In the American nature
are respect for the frank. courageous
opponent and hatred for the coward, the
trimmer and the trickster. In every
phase of politics this truth finds its
fullest expression. Cleveland and Roose-
Welt are modern instances of strong men
who provoked respectful enmity. But
no swindler or deceivcr yer attained
such eminence.
.Often the national trait leads 10 evil.
There is n queer kink i'll the American
sense of humor that provokes q toler,
n understandings of the bold thief. The
wrongdoer who says, The public be
damned" the man who responds to an
unanswerable accusation with, What
are You going to do about it's the type
best represented by Tweed and Quay
and from Croker and Cox. always have
compelled II amused sort of sympathy
from the most honest. g.
Rightly or wrongly. Americans are
overapt 10 tolerate the truthful pirate,
But the pickpocket and the sneak are
pretty SURE to he thnmped.
"A candidate Or a party, i'll city, state
or nation. may advocate n wrong and
pcrpetuate il and BE- forgiven. But bit
ter punishment awaits the pledge
breaker. The man, the clique, the
faction or the party that attempts &c
gold brick" the American people is the
certain acquisitor of ascourging that
will leave burning sears.
The North American has said time
and again that the principle of protection
has become a fixed. immutable part
of Americas national policy. That has
been our belief. That we think still is
the truth. But it will not remain truth
if there's persistence in the trickery now
III progress i'll Washington.
There will be peril for the protective
principle and the first grave danger for
the Republican party in thirteen years
if congress sanctions and tine president
approves the thimble-rigging tariff plans
Of Aldrich.
a thousand times during the cam
paign it was impressed upon the voters
that the Republican party proposed To-
reduce, modify and adjust the tariff
schedules 50 rs To meet equitably all new
conditions. check monopoly and benefit
the consumer without doing harm 10
any legitimate industry.
Had that not been the understand
ing of the American people every a II
observer knows that Taft would have
lost eight or ten of the states he carried.
And while he might still have won be.
cause OF mistrust of Bryan. the present
house would hOlda Democratic majority
if the platform had been the bill which
Aldrich proposes to force upon the
country for the qualification of New
England.
"Arc these supposed representative,
Of the people i'll Washington crazcd ol
blind! Do they not forcse the danger u
providing the Democrats with the frs
formidable campaign ammunition in fiji
teen years. Are they not conscious o
the suicidal folly of cowardly submission
to the brazcn treachcry of Cannon
Payne, Aldrich and Hale, who woult
make of Taft a pledge breaker and o
the Republican party Il swindlerT
This is not "A North American sermon
1t is u simple citation of the unprcce
denied fact that not IA single Republi
can newspaper OF worth and standing
in the country accepts and approve:
the bill put forth as a formulation OF
the Republican party'S economic policy.
For the first time there i hope of 4
Democratic house in 1911. For the
first time there is a chance for "A Demo.
cratic president in 1912. The trnst OF
the people in Taft, in protection and in
the honor and efficiency of tina Repub
lican party as yet is unimpaired. Blu;
enactment Of either the Payne or the
Aldrich cheat or an iniquitous blend Of
both would shatter all such faith.
They are sowing the wind in Wash
ington.'