Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-08-17
Our Washington Letter.

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tariff bill downward. On this under
standing he was elected. The first thing
the Republican party did was to increase
the tariff duties on practically all articles,
especially those made by the trusts, and
the first thing the President did was 10
approved the tariff bill, OF the wool sched-
ule OF which he had already said that II
was "indefensibe. The people who
had voted for the Republican candidate
for President land for Republican Con-
gressmen upon the promise OF Mr.. all
that the party would revise the tariff
downward, found, after the election, that
they had been betrayed, and when the
next election came along they turned
down the party which had betrayed them
and elected a Congress with an over
whelming Democratic majority.
This Congress with Democratic House
was called into extraordinary session by
President Taft and is now about ready to
adjourn. During its four months session
and within five months of the time when
the Congress was turned over to the
Democrats, this body has done more to
fulfill campaign pledges than the Repuo-
lcan party has done in the last twenty
years of its existence.
The Democratic party pledged itself TO
a reduction of the tariff against which the
entire people were in rebellion, and 1t
has gone as far along this line as Demo-
cratic House hampered by Republican
Senate and a Republican President could
90. The Democratic House has passed
a bill reducing the tariff duties on practic-
ally every article the farmer has to buy,
on wool and on cotton and is ready to
pass bills for the reduction OF the duty on
steel, sugar, rubber and other trust pro-
tected articles. But in the face OF the
threatened veto by the President OF any
bill reducing tariff duties, it has not SEEM
ed advisable to pass any OF the remaining
bills.
Not only has the Democratic party
passed these tariff reduction bills through
the House, but with the assistance OF the
Progressive" Republicans OF the Senate
they have passed some OF them through
the Senate and if the duties are not re-
duced so as to reduce the cost OF living it
will be because Republican President
will veto the bills, after having pledged
himself and his party TO tariff reduction.
The Democratic majority in the House
has carried out other campaign pledges
and has gone after the trusts by trying to
reduce the tariff on trust products; it has
proceedee with Investigations and brought
to light some very questionable tranSac-
tons under the present and past Repub-
lican administrations.
When the voters have to determine
next year whom they shall support they
should recall that the Republicans were
tried in 1908 and failed to keep party
pledge made in the campaign, while the
Democrats elected in 1910 have fulfilled
every pledge made as far as it was posi-
BILE to do so without majority OF the
Senate and with a Republican President.
They should also remember in voting for
a President next year that the present
President pledged himself and his party
to a reduction OF tariff duties and that
both have even gone to the extreme OF
increasing the duties when both Houses
of Congress and the White House were
in their hands.
"There is one thing for the Democrats
of West Virginia to remember" said a
prominent Democrat of that State a few
days ago, "and that il is gilmore importance
to carry West Virginia for the national
ticket next year than it is to determine
what West Virginia Democrat Shall or
shall not hold an office"
The time never was in the Democratic
party, in West Virginia at least, when the
Democrats could agree unanimously upon
their candidates for the various offices.
The reason for this is that the Democrats
do not submit TO having their tickets named
for them by Self-appointed or other
'leader." The Democracy feels competent
to select its own nominees at all times and
has always done so in the past. For this
reason there is invariably difference of
opinion among Democrats as to the prop
er persons for the different offices. But
majority rule is cardinal principle of De-
mocracy and the members ofthe party are
accustomed to dropping their differences
when the nominations are made. That
is what must be done before the State can
be carried again next year. And, as the
Democrat above quoted said, lis of more
importance to give the electoral vote OF
West Virginia to the Democratic candi-
date for the Presidency next year than it
is to have ones personal friend elected
to the Governorship or any other office.
There is but one way for the Democrats
to carry West Virginia and that is forget
personal differences after they have been.
settled and to remember that majority
rule is principle Of Democracy and stick
to that principle.
West Virginia may very likely cast the
deciding vote for the Presidency next
year and the election of Democratic
President is certainly OF more importance
to the West Virginia people than the cleo
ton of any particular candidate for any
office.
Senator Watson has appointed Cal
Thompson, of Martinsburg, an alternate
for midshipmah at the naval academy at
Annapolis.