Evening journal., 1910-02-24
THURSDAY, FEB. "a 1910
PoLITTCAL FUTURE.

POLITICAL FUTURE.
A S indicative of the political restlessness
1 \ throughout the country various writers
arc looking into the future and endeavoring to
forecast the alignment of voters. Most Of them
agree that the parties at no distant day will be
divided into Conservatives and Progressives.
They say that the Democrats have been hope
lessv at odds since the appearance of Bryan as
the Democratic candidate for President and they
profess to see serious division in the ranks OF
the Republicans owing to the lnsurgent move
ment throughout the West.
We know that a serious split has existed among
the Democrats for years, but there has yet
been no exact way of telling how widely the Re-
publicans are divided Some seem TO think that
the division among the Republicans is due 20
the weakness of the Democrats. They say that
If the Democrats were not weak, the Republi-
cans would be lined up solidly with little or no
disturbance in their own ranks. Thisis merely
-Supposition and only the next election will def
Ately tell the real condition Of affairs in the
PARTY
1t is pointed out by some defenders of the
Conservatives that at the end of the first two
years of a new administration there is a reac-
ton and loss of congressman. The lnsurgent
movement in the West, they contend, is merely
a few ducks padding in pond The newspaper
reports in the West indicate that the movement
is far more serious than that and cannot be dis
missed with a few side remarks.
Some writers object 10 the division of the vot-
crs into two classes Conservatives and Progress
sives with the Socialists on the side, and believe
that the old time Democratic element must be
rcckoned with. They have suggested reor-
ganization of the Democratic party with the slo-
gan, s'llard money. Home rule and Free Trade; =
~ platform that won the Democrats victory be-
fore the war. Such a platform would be attrac-
tive to a number Of old timers in these days,
but it is questionable whether it would command
a very large following among the voters.
Home rule means, VIC take it, little Federal
interference with the states and curtailng OF
Federal power. But with the growth of the
country accompanied by the pressing questions
growing out of huge combinations os capital and
trusts-such questions as did not exist before
the Civil War-there has been demand for the
extension of Federal power and authority be-
cause such combinations of capital engage IN IN
serst tie commerce and state lines are practically
ll1lhrolSen The extension of Federal authority IS
u e. looked upon at present with the suspicion
y once cnveloped it.
- Nc other day the Legislature OF South Caro-
IN votSd by large majority in favor II the
income tax amendment. The Hard Money, Free
Trade, and Home Rule platform it would seem
would be attractive TO a state like South Caro-
lima, il attractive to any state, and the leading
newspaper Of the State rebuked the Legislature
for upsetting time honored principles of the State
by supporting the income tax amendment there
by giving the Federal Government new author
ity.
1t does not seem likely to us that the Free
Trade plank would be especially magnetic With
the growth of manufactures in the South there
has been an increasing sentiment in favor of a
tariff as shown during the debate over the
Aldrich-Payne bill. And Free Trade sentiment
has not spread throughout the world. The indus
trial progress OF Germany, a protecuonist coun-
try, and the decline Of England do not auger
we'll for Free Trade. We are inclined to think
that the future of the tariff in this country will
be the regulation OF duties by competent and
learned commission and the practical removal OF
the question from politics. It seems to us that
this will be insisted upon by the business and
pie.
However all discussion of the kind is interest
ing as showing general restessness and crop
ing for solid basis in these times of political un-
rest And one mans opinion is as good as an
others.