The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-12
TUESDAY. APRIL il, 1910.
THE nEAL CAMPAIGN ISSUE.

THE REAL CAMPAIGN ISSUE.
The Grand Old Party is aroused as
it has not been aroused in years. The
old Guard has formed "A hollow square
with Wickersham on ono flank. Lodge
on another. Longwortl to the rear. and
Mckinley supporting him. The entire
party ordnance was brought into play
Saturday night, and the thunders of
oratory echoed from one side of the
country to the other. The President
himself, holding the olive branch In
one hand and drawn sword in theI
other. sounded the watchword to his
waiting henchmen and babe them keep
up the fight.
In the half-dozcn speeches made
Saturday night there is distinct and
universal note o. defense--a note very
different from that heard in thet
glorious days Of Theodore the Great.
when stand pat" was the only order
in the Republican manual Of arms
The Republicans are defending every
thing from the President himself to
the tariff. They are defending every
thing that mas been done and every
thing that has not been done. They
are defending the men who did 1t
and tho reasons which prompted them
TO do it.
The tariff, however. more than any
thing else. seems to be coming in
for apologies 1t was noticeable that
Attorney General Wickersham, in his
excoriation of the Presidents de-
famers at the Chicago dinner, took
good care TO say a word for the tariff.
So near to the home of the Great
Young Man he did not venture on any
detailed defense of the Aldrich abomi-
nation, but he explained how the tariff
commission was operating and how
that body of experts would be able
before very long, to give US necessary
revision of the tariff Other speakers
were less careful in their promises and
declarations. Some of them seemed
in. fact, to sympathize with what Mr.
Payne said Thursday, when he an
nounced that he would not countenanct
any attempt to modify the tariff a
this time.
The Republicans know as we'll a:
is pernicious. and they know that its
operation has added still more to th'
burden borne by the American people
They know that our exports have
fallen off, and that we must SEND Il
England s2g,OOO,oOO in gold during
The next few weeks, They know tha
corporation dividends have increased
since the tariff went into effect, and
they cannot dispute the fact that
living has increased every month since
the new schedule was adopted Yet
in the face of AZ this they stand by
the tarif and. .by.its makers.
If they have done nothing more in
the last six months the Republicans
have presented the tariff question to
the country in concrete, concise
form. They have made the tariff the
issue for this campaign. and the Demo
Gratis have only to accept that issue
This comes at fortunate time. fo1
not since the day of Grover CLEVELAND
has the Democratic party had bette
chance of victory or more strikinf
and Just issue with which to face tn
people at the polls. If they viii fgh
for Congress on this basis the Demo
Gratis will carry the day All the de
tense of the other work of Congress
and all that the Republicans may d
between now and the November elet
ton cannot side-track the tariff if IL
Democrats really take it up as IL
issue of the campaign.
The only question IS, whether II
the Democrats are united enough ar
determined enough to make re-
night for Congress on a real issue.
the party so effete and weakened /
defeat that it cannot accept TT,
campaign question and defend pril
ciple that has proven to be ccrrec
or is the party of. the Constitution sti
able 10 defend the Constitution az
TO go before the American people {
a platform that they know is Il
PLATFORM OF ING CONSTITUTIONS
This is the question, and upon i
decision win depend not only the p
litical complexion of the sixty-secoi
Congress, but the future of the II
tional Democratic party. Victory f
the Democrats viii be the create
achievement of recent years. and W
mean not only the redemption of CO
gress frou an eXtrayagant Republics
rule, but it will mean a singing d
feat from which the Republicans ca
not recover in years.
Tho Democrats can win-if the Dem
Gratis win TO win.
=-z --=-
THE B'NAI n'RrrH's coon woRh
The National B'nai Birth did t
country a service at its annual met
ing in Washington last week. Ii a