The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-05-27
SIGNIFICANCE OF DEMOCRATIC
VOTES FOR A DUTY ON
LUMBER,

The late FSenator Hanna, speaking
from the standpoint of a lifelong Re-
publican and very practical politician,
defined party platform as something
made to get into power on, but not to
stand on.
We do not. suggest that in refusing
to stand on the platform of the National
Democratic Convention of 1908 the II
Democrats who voted in the Senate on
Monday gfor duty on lumber were
imbued with the cynical spirit of Mr..
Hanna. We do not suggest that the
free lumber declaration of the Denver
platform embodied anything but honest
convictions of the Democrats who franz
ed it in committee and the thousand
Democratic delegates to the convention
who gave it an apparently unqualified
Endorsement. But it seems to US, in
view of the Democratic support in the
Senate Of a protective duty on lumber
and other things, that the party plat
forms, soifar as tariff is concerned, may
hSISS1Ol ~ NC ISSdINSu dS Idl SSlE, IL
not chiefly, Pickwickian in spirit and
intent.
1t is early enough, it appears, to make
sacrifices in national conventions for
the general welfare" to display a
noble altruism inI pnrty platforms for
the general good" But when it
comes to embodying this self-derial in
legislative enactments statesmen seem
to feel under no obligation to be as I'M
selfish as.the platform makers of their
party. The altruism Of the party con-
vention is tempered by practical con-
siderations, and many Democratic
statesmen see new light. They legis-
late on the principle laid down by Gen
eral Hancock, theltariff is a local issue
Seventeen Democratic Senators saw
this new light on Monday when they
voted fagainst free lumber. North
Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Florida and
Louisiana voted solidly for a duty on
lumber. Mississippi, Georgia. Texas,
Oregon, Maryland, Tennessee and South
Carolina furnished one Democratic vote
each against free lumber. We suspect
the attitude of these Democratic Sena-
tors would have been the same if their
party had won the Presidential electit n
last year and a Democratic Congre SIS
were now revising the tariff. In the
case of Senator Bailey, of Texas, there
is no doubt, judging from his statement
in the Senate Monday, that he would
vote for duty on lumber under any
circumstances. Mr.. Bailey allows no
party convention to dictate the course
he shall pursue in Congress. He is a
platform unto himself, and he would,
he declares, leave the Democratic party
before he would let national conven-
ton ram tariff schedules down his
throat.
Since so per cent. of the Democratic
Senators will not stand on their partys
platform, so far as free lumber is con-
cerned, and some of them prefer pro-
tective duties on other Southern pro-
ducts to free raw materials for the
general good" the platform makers
of the next Democratic convention may
have difficulty in framing the tariff
plank of 1912. There are, however,
two ways by which embarrassment may
be avoided and harmony established.
The tariff declaration of 1912 may be
a collection of "glittering generalities, "
which may mean anything or nothing;
or it may be drawn in sections and re-
cognize the demands" and the enter
ests" of every element in the party.
1t may promise free lumber, for in
stance, to all Democrats who want I'M
taxed building material. 1t may prom
Use ample protection for lumber to
Democrats who demand protection.
Thus the Democracy will have a plat
form elastic enough for all and every
local interest will be eonciliated. Bal
timore Sun. 500.