Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-08-29
Has Taft Committed Suicide.

party in national affairs-not from
the standpoint of partisan advant-
age but from the standpoint of the
public welfare.
1t is infinitely more important in
the light of Mr.. Taft's evident
determination to commit political
suicide, as manifested in his use of
the veto power to destroy tariff
legislation to reduce the cost of
living.
Mr.. Taft's blunder is indefensible,
almost incredible. We say this
more in sorrow than in anger, for
it is best for the country that both
candidates for President in 1912
should be excellent men who repre-
sent sound and truly progressive
principles. For political reasons of
his own Mr.. Taft has deliberately
chosen to cast his fortunes with the
non-progressive elements of his
party, arraying himself in equal
hostility to Progressive Democracy
and it's natural ally Insurgent
! Republicanism. Mr.. Taft's own
conduct gives added Importance to
this Democratic rehabilitation in
its relation to the public welfare.
Mr.. Taft's veto policy makes tariff
reform and tariff reduction the
burning issue of the 1912 campaign.
1t makes a coalition between the
| Democrats and the Insurgent
Republicans not only logical but
inevitable if the Insurgents are to
retain the fimsiest threads of
political consistency and conscience.
1t opens the way to the election of
a Democratic President unless the
Democratic party should destroy
its own chances by going to
extremes.
Our form of government cannot
successfully be carried on without a
sane, vigorous Opposition, and for
sixteen years there was no Opposi-
ton 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 political
, force and less moral force. It
became hardly more than an attach
ment to one Republican faction or
the other, and nowhere was it taken
seriously.
Democrats themselves had begun
to doubt the fitness of the Demo-
cratic party to govern, and VIXEN a
Democratic House of Representa-
tives was elected last fall it was
common belief that the Democrats
would proceed to make fools of
| themselves at the first opportunity.
None of these pessimistic prophecies
has been fulfilled.
Under the leadership of Speaker
Clark and Mr.. Underwood the Dem
ocrats in the House have followed
intelligent and consistent courses in
respect to all questions that came
before them. They have carried
out their promises with moderation
and common sense. The Democrats
in the Senate in the main have
followed the leadership of the House,
and there 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 Corrupt
Practices act would have been en-
acted, no steps would have been
taken to compel further reductions
in the duties that affect the cost of
living, no light would have been let
in on the operations of the Sugar
Trust and the Steel Trust, nothing
would have been done to eradicate
the corruption that is inevitable
when one party is too long in power.
Even in so far as Mr.. Taft has been
progressive he would have been
thwarted by the very elements of
his own party with which ne : IS
now allied himself. All these
reforms have been forcedsby the
fact of a virile Opposition which
could command public support and
confidence.
Thus far the Democratic party
has proved by its record in Congress
that it can keep its head. We have
an Opposition again that can in
telligently voice public protest
against public wrong. We have a
two-party Republic in place of a
one-party Republic.
Thanks to a rehabilitated Deuoc-
racy under sane LEADERSHIP Mr..
Taft's surrender to Privilege finds
the country with means of redress.
N. Y. World.
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