Bisbee daily review., 1911-08-31
HAS TAFT COMMITTED sUIclDg'

New York World: The most import ant result of the special session of congress is the rehabilitation of the democratic party in national affairs not from the standpoint of partisan advantage but from the standpoint Of the public welfare.
 It is infinitely more important in the light of Mir. Taft's evident deter mination to commit political suicide, as manifested in his use of the veto power to destroy tariff legislation to reduce the cost of living.
 Mir Taft's blunder is indefenslble. almost incredible. We say this more in sorrow than in anger, for 1t is best for the country that both candi- dates for president in 1912 should be excellent men who represent sound and truly progressive principles. For political reasons of his own MT. Taft has deliberately chosen to cast his fortunes with the non-progressive ele- ments of his party, arTaying himself in equal hostility to progressive de mccraey and it's natural ally, insurgent repubIioanism. Mir. Tsft's own con duct gives added importance to this democratic rehabilitation in it's rele- ton to the public welfare.
 Mir Taft's veto policy makes tariff reform and tariff reduction the burn ing issue of the 1912 campaign. It makes a coalition between the demo- crats and the insurgent republican, not only logical but inevitable if the Insurgents are to retain the ilniesi threads of political consistency and TA Al. election of democratic president un- less the democratic party should de stroy it's own chances by going to ex- tremes.
 Our form of government cannot sue cessfully be carried on without a sane vigorous opposition. and for sixteen years there was no opposition in Washington worthy of the name. The republicans controlled the presidency and both houses of congress. Their majorities were overwhelming. The democratic minority carried little DO litical force and less moral force. IL became hardly more than an attach ment to one republican faction or the other and nowhere was 1t taken seri- 'ously.
 Democrats themselves had begun to doubt the fitness of the democratic party to govern, and when a demo cratic house of representatives was elected last fall 1t was common belief that the democrats would proceed to make fools If themselves st the first opportunity. None of these pessimis tic prophecies has been fulfilled.
 Under the leadership nf Speaker Clark and MT. Underwood the demo erats in the house have followed an intelligent and consistent course in respect to all questions that came be fore them. They have carried out their prcmises with moderation and common sense. The democrats in the senate in the main have followed is little in the record that requires explanation or apology.
 Had there been a republican house. | no Canadian reciprocity bill could ' have been passed. no corrapt-prae l tices act would have been enacted, no steps would have been taken to com ! pei further reductions in the daties l that affect the cost of living. no light would have been let in en the opera tions of the sugar trust and the steel trust, nothing would have been done l to eradicate the corruption thai is in | evitable when one party Is tco long | in power. Even in 50 far as Mir.
 raft has been progressive he would
 have been thwarted by the very ele-
 lnents of his own party with which
 he mas now allied himself. All these reforms have been forced by the mere
 fact of virile opposition which could
 command public support and conf dence.
 Thus far the democratic party has
 proved by it's record in congress that it can keep it's head. We have an
 opposition again that can intelligentiy voice public protest against public
 wrong. We have a two-party reDub- lie in place of one-party republic
 Thanks to a rehabilitated denrocra- cy under sane leadership, Mr. Taft's
 surrender to privilege finds the eoun,
 try with means of redress