The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-09-11
MONDAY. SEPT. II. 1911.
F TRIP.

The coming trip Of President Taft
through the west may be looked upon
IS the opening of the presidential
campaign Of 1912, both for the nomi-
nation and election. The presidents
announced purpose is to educate the
public on the question Of tariff max
ing. AS president he will be accord
ed. even by those who do not agree
with him in all his public ideas. a
fair and honest hearing. Whether he
shall convert the west to his views is
a matter of the future.
General Hancock, when the Demo-
cratic candidate for the presidency
in 1880, declared that the tariff was
q local issue. While he did not go
SO far as to say it should be a mat
ter Of state regulation. that is the
inevitable result that must follow
theories such as his. Yet even the
most enthusiastic adherent Of states
rights never took that view of the
laying and collecting of customs. State
regulation would be an impossibility.
In the present state of the public
mind, the critic finds at least a kernel
Of evidence of the local question Of
tariff making. With the boundaries
of the nation extended beyond even
the empire dreams OF the founders Of
the nation, conditions have developed
that to the early statesmen were I'M
heard of. With the extension of the
geographical boundaries have come
the diversified industries, and seeking
to protect conflicting industries from
foreign competition by tariff regula-
lions, has developed a corresponding
conflict Of tariff belief that seemingly
verifes the views Of General Han
COCK
The remedy can not be in state con-
troll for that would make of each
state a sovereign nation dealing with
sister nations, and the union, and
consequently the central governments
would fall. This is academic political
philosophy, but 1t is we'll to consider
1t at this time. There is a diversity
Of opinion as to how the seemingly
conflicting conditions should be met.
Boiled down and put cold-bloodedly
It ia whether the views Of the presi-
dent as expressed in his vetoes of the
measures passed at the extra session
Of congress, or whether the views held
by Senator La Toilette and those who
agree with him shall prevail. The
Democratic view of the tariff has
been tried within the memory of even
young men, and needs no calculation.
It is a selfish view to assume that
the one industry in which the individ-
ual is interested must receive all the
advantages to the disadvantage Of all
others. Neither can survive long in
e republic.
The solution of the problem lies in
a compromise which shall work the
least injury to any with the most
good to all. That solution, while
utopian in appearance, is within the
ability of the statesmen of this day,
If they give to it the consideration
that is required by the trust placed
in them. by the people.
The presidents western trip will do
much to open the investigation. II
he is right, a fair minded and honest
public will agree with him. If he is
wrong, the same spirit of fairness and
truth will find the flaws in his posi-
ton and point out the defects in his
logic. For ages men sought out the
means Of determining the truth, and
out of that effort came the court trial
in which both sides were heard and
their merits weighed and judged. So
is it in the consideration Of public
questions. The public which sits in
Judgment, must hear both sides and
determine the right from them. The