The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-11-17
DEMOCRATS FACE
consequences OF
THEPARTY PLEDGES
Must Work Out Program or
Stand Charged With
Incompetency
JAPAN ALREADY HINTS At
BUYING THE PHILIPPINES
Must Revise the Tariff According to
Platform or Endorse the Taft Plan
Of Revising by Schedules After the
Commission Furnishes Facts.

Washington, Nov. 17.-When it as
sunles control of the house of repre-
sentatives a year hence. by virtue Of
the result of the congressional cleo
tons last week. the Democratic party
will have an opportunity to demon
strete the, extent Of it's regard for the
national platform adopted at Denver
in the summer Of 1908. During the
last session of congress and also in
the special session called by the pres
ident in the spring Of 1909, the DEM
ocratic course was in some respects
consonant with the context of the
party creed enunciated two years ago,
but being in the minority, the MEM
bers we're unable to have incorporat-
ed in the laws which were passed
n. any of the promises they made to
the country in the event they would
be successful at the ensuing national
election.
But when in control OF the house
which is organized in December. 1911,
the Democratic platform will be put
to the test. Strangely. one Of the
first suggestions that the Democrats
fulfill a pledge given two years ago
comes from far-off Japan. A dispatch
from Tokyo contains a suggestion
from Count Okuma, CONSPICUOUS
Japanese politician and statesman,
that the Democrats Of this country,
being opposed to Imperialism. ought
now willingly to prepare to dispose
of the Philippine islands. Evidently
Okuma recalls the Democratic plank
on the Philippines. but to refresh the
memory of Americans who may have
forgotten It reads as follows:
Their Philippine Plank.
eve condemn the experiment Of
imperialism as an inexcusable blum
der, which has involved us in an enor-
nous expense. brought us weakness,
instead of strength, and laid our ma
ton open to the charge OF abandoning
the fundamental doctrine Of self-gov-
ernment. We favor an immediate
declaration of the nations purpose to
recognize the independence of the
Philippine islands as soon as sta
BILE government can be established,
such independence to be guaranteed
by us, as we guaranteed the independ-
ence of Cuba, until the naturalization
of the islands can be secured by trea-
ty with other powers. In recognizing
the independence Of the Philippines
our government should retain such
land as may be necessary for coaling
stations and naval bases"
Very likely the suggestion of Count
Okuma will be considered an tntima-
ton that Japan would be willing to
enter into negotiations with this
country for the acquisition Of the
archipelago. More than once in the
last few years the Japanese govern
ment has put ont feeler to ascer-
tain if such a proposition would be
entertained at Washington, but since
the Republicans have been in control
of all branches of the federal govern
ment since sovereignty was relin-
uuished by Spain, in 1898. it received
no encouragement. 1t may also be
surmised that since the Democrats
are so unequivocally on record in fa-
vor of the abandonment Of the Philip
pines, the Japanese in the near future
will renew the efforts which hereto
fore have been without avail.
Pledge to Tariff Revision.
Since popular dissatisfaction with
the Payne-Aldrich tariff law is ac-
cepted as one OF the principal causes
of the recent upheaval, the Democrats
naturally will feel obligated to under
take revision Of the tariff. But as
has been pointed out before, it would
not be reasonable to expect another
general revision during the Sixty-sec-
ond congress while the Democrats
were still in minority in the senate.
The house may pass bill embody-
ing the spirit Of the pledge made in
the last Democratic platform Ito re-
store the tariff to revenue basis,
but such a measure certainly would
encounter insurmountable obstacles
in the senate. But with the aid of in
surgent Republicans in that body a
revision of certain specific schedules,
such as woolens and cotton, to which
the insurgents objected, and on ac-
count of which they voted against the
Payne bill on its final passage, might
be accomplished.
In other words, there is possibil-
ity of the success of the Taft plan of
avoiding a halt or depression in man.
ufacturing industry by revising the
schedules one at time, the data upon
which such a revision is based being
furnished by the new tariff board.
This board will not be prepared to
submit complete data upon any of the
important schedules which met the