The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-03-26
REsuRGENcY OF DEMOCRACY.


publicans but the really important
political matter to millions of people
Is the resurgency of Democracy.
When Col Bryan's banner went down
in defeat for the third time, in the
melancholy days of November, 1908.
Democratic prestige was at low tide.
And no administration ever began
more auspiciously than did that of
President Taft. He succeeded three
Republican quadrilaterals of re-
nowned popularity-a popularity
never before attained in the history
of our country He had the prestige
of great success in the Philippines,
as a member of the Cabinet and as a
Judge. Yet in one short year of power
he has been the victim of about the
greatest blunders and political mis-
fortunes which have been known to
any President since the days of Blu
chanan and the once clear skies of
Republicanism have been covered
with clouds. of gloom and the shadows
of oncoming defeat. This has result
ed in the enkindling of a correspond
ing hope in the ranks of Democracy
and the forces are being reinspired
rehabilitated and reorganized for the
conflict. One year of Taft has re-
vived and consolidated Democracy.
The crystallizing force has been of
q two-fold nature. one has been the
mistakes of the President, and the
other has been the exposure of cor
ruption NJ office. These, influences
have awakened a lively spirit of hope
i'm Democracy and confused Republi-
can leadership.
When Judge Taft assumed the
reins of office, he says he thought he
could make good but now he ad-
mits of doubt as to his ability to do
so. That this is due to extraordinary
conditions is evident. The failure of
the President to satisfy the American
people is partly due to the mortgag-
ing of his administration to the pow
erful Influences of consolidated and
Incorporated wealth and partly due
to his judicial disposition, where an
executive is needed. A good judge
may make poor executive officer
and good executive officer may not
be successful IL given the duties OF
a Judge. The former conclusion spe-
c!ally applies to Judge Taft. The pc
culiar qualities needed by a president
the disposition to listen to the peo-
pies voice peculiar to Jefferson and
Lincoln and Mckinley and Roosevelt,
when they have reasoned out a prop
csition-seems to be wanting in
Judge Taft. He imagines he can an
alyze a proposition in judicial way
and tell them what they need better
than they can hammer 1t out them
selves, not perceiving that everybody
knows more than anybody, that the
popular intelligence IL left free to
grappIe with great problem will
go with unerring logic to the right
conclusion. But the President wants
to tell 'em what to think! What
peculiar and dangerous delusion!
Has he not tried to force upon the
people the acceptance of the extor-
tionate, outrageous and almost infa-
nous Aldrich tariff law, telling them
that "it Is revision downwards
when the popular intelligence has de-
cided that in important and vital mat
ters-in price making commodities
IL is revision upwards? Has he moi
told them it Is "the best tariff law
ever made" when the people laugh
I'm derision and ask what must the
others have been?" That is not the
problem the people have right tc
ask a solution for They are not par
ticular$ whether II Is the best or the
worst tariff law ever enacted. They
are interested to know whether 1t Is
ar equitable, a just and a righteous
law It is of little significance thai
II is as fair law as the Dingley act
IL under the latter monopoly Hour
ished and the people were robbed by
the extortions of privileged corpora
ton pirates as was the case. The
Dingley act contained its so, 100, l25,
$50 and 1876 per cent. tariffs and un-
der II arose a horde of millionaire
plutocrats but 1t kept the industries
going on this side of the waters and
furnished American labor employ
ment. The honest question is whether
a scientific tariff cannot be framed
which will maintain the industries
without prohibitory tariffs and con-
| sequent extortion. Anyhow, the peo-
pie have thrown Judge Taft's dictum
to the winds and in old, iron-clad
Massachusetts a political earthquake
has shaken the continent where this
best tariff ever maze" has caused a
political revolution in the Fourteenth
Congressional district, which never
before elected a Democrat, making a