New-York tribune., 1910-01-03
CHANDLER ON POLITICS.
Republican Reform Retrograding
Not Yet Much. -
William E. Chandler in La Follette's Mag
inc

William E. Chandler in La Follette's Mag
aZine.
1t is refreshing to those Republicans
who hope and believe that their party will
be true to reform and yet remain in po-
ltical power at the North and in the ma
ton TO realize that no step backward has
yet been taken by the new administration
When President Taft on June II last an
nounced ID that he recommended a ma
tional tax on the income of all corpora
tionS, thus SubJecting them to national SJI-
perYision, and CD that he favored taking
the VeXed question of an income tax out
from the province of the Supreme Court
by constitutional amendment giving Con-
gress unqualified power to impose such a
tax, he gladdened the hearts of all earnest
and sensible Republicans, and offered him
self as the natural leader of the radical
reform Republicans, against the malefact-
ors of great wealth who had been corrupt
ing society and politics through their un-
lawful corporation monopolies. If he Is
by unwise and egotistic Republicans re-
jected as such leader the injury done to
the cause of radical reform will be their
grievous fault and a misfortune to him
and the country
Senator Foot in letter to silas McBee.
editor of The Churchman." says:
Il am coming to think that capacity for
united effort to obtain a common object of
primary, Importance, as distinguished from
strife about formal or comparatively un
important differences depends upon the
stage Of development In civilization which
the people or the members of any great
organization have reached. Every great
nation seems to pass at some period
through a storm belt of incapacity to
unite. The races that are capable of de-
velopment beyond that point rule the
world the races that are not capable of it
go down..
Let us reformers apply this test to our
selves. If we want to get ten things and
find that we can now get only nine, let us
sincerely and earnestly work for the nine
and keep pressing on for the ten. Do not
on any pretence help defeat the nine be-
cause we cannot now get the ten. Let us
be practical men" in a good sense. In
this life it seldom happens that compli-
Gated events result exactly in the way and
to the same extent favorably that we wish
them to. Wonders are worked in mystic
riouS way.
Since Republican reform began with the
opening of this century, great things have
happened which 1 never dared hope to see
in my lifetime. Let us go forward CO.
operatively to achieve greater results NV
own views are more radical on most meas
ures of reform than those of any other re-
formers. But l recognize the necessity for
few things if we can now accomplish
many things, though not all And reform
Republicans should try to do their work
if possible. while keeping their party in
power in the Northern States and the ma
tion. President Taft and his Cabinet
without insanity violence are willing to
work with nine-tent of our de-
mands. 1t will be the part of wisdom for
us to work with them for the nine and
without imperilling the party go on TO
achieve success for the tenth in the ah-
sence of their help and against their OPP
pOSitinu.