The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-16
RUNNING OFF AFTER FAps.

tho city auditorium at Montgomery.
He was introduced by Congressman
Dent as "Alabema's candidate for the
Presidency" and when hi arose he
was applauded for the space of two
full minutes. His text was good roads
-Alabama's most crying need, an
economic, industrial problem which
the State should solve. 1t costs the
Southern farmer. speaking generally.
the farmer in Virginia as we'll ms the
farmer in Alabama. az cents the ton
to get his products to the railroad sta
ton: on good roads. such as there
are IL Montgomery County, It would
cost 10 cents. GOOD roads" said Mr.
Underwood, would save the Southern
farmers 100000 a year, enough to
pay the interest on an enormous bond
ed Indebtedness. The American peo-
pie pay $4,000. 900 for patching bad
roads every year. The mud tax is the
biggest tax"
Speaking Of taxes naturally sug-
gested to Mr.. Underwood the propriety
OF saying something about the matter
OF tariff taxation as affecting the pres
ent political situation in the country.
and he proceeded to skill President
Tart FOR his failure to afford the peo-
pie Of the country any measure of re-
lief from the exactions of the present
indefensible law. He charged fatty
that the President entered into an
agreement with the stand-pat Repub-
ncans OF the Senate h IL they would
support his reciprocity measure he
would veto any tariff bill they said.
II tell you that the President had an
agreement with the Senate" THE
great bulwark OF the special inter
ests is the protective tariff. This tariff
is n levied not merely for the
support Of the Government. not mere
ly to allow infant industries to live
and compete with foreign manufac-
turers. but 1t is levied to protect prof
It's" h Republicans have not kept
their promises to the people. Thew
solemnly pledged themselves to re-
wise the tariff downward: they revised
the tariff upward When tho bill re-
ducing the tariff from 80 per cent 10
As per cent. was sent to the Presi-
dent, he vetoed 1t because, as he
claimed. your representatives. were
incapable of legislating for you. He
vetoed C. bill placing bread and meat
and salt and agricultural implements
ana free bagging and ties on the FREQ
list, because 1t specified wire for
fencins.' which he called an artificial
classincation Yet he signed a bill
which specified woollen goods for un-
derwear.'"
We do not see how the President
can escape fgam the predicament in
which he placed himself. He started
out yesterday on his campaign of ex-
PLANTATION into the enemy's country.
and will doubtless try to make the
worse appear the better reason; but
the country knows now as IL never
knew before the inequalities of the
taFlr system the special objects of rs
favors. the broken pledges OF the dom.
lnant party, and the double failure of
the President to give the taxpayers
the relief they demand. and that the
Republican party was pledged TO Sc
cure-hrst. when he failed to veto the
fayne-Aldrich law when It was pass
ed. and, second, when he failed 10
approve the tariff bills passed AZ
the late extraordinary session Of
Congress. Mr.. Taft is a very con
vincing 4iaaker and will doubtless
make an impression wherever he goes.
put he has a rocky road to travel. lust
as his party will have in the ncxt
Presidential campaign. If the Demo-
Gratis will stick 10 the tariff as tha
main issue in the coming struggle
Tor the restoration Of the Government
TO the people and for their benefit.
Mr. Underwood expressed his views
very clearly upon this point at Mont
gomery; ut would be suicidal for tba
party TO abandon the tariff issue ana
run of after fads, which would for.
feit the confidence of the people in
the party. The gentlemen who
are striving to force the initiative tho
referendum and the recall into Ma
tional politics as a National Demo.
cratic doctrine, are working 10 ,bo
injury n detriment Of the nartv
The Democratic party in 1911
stood Tor a low tariff and an economi.
cally administered Government Tba
Democrats swept the country on TIA
issue. They have won every time
they have made the night on ina, is,
sue. To abandon the rtarin and
economy in Government affairs as Is.
sues. TO run off after fads and fanc!es
seems to me to be the height OF fol.
1y. The ao-called reforms embodied ir
the Initiative. the referendum and tn;
recall are purely State questions The,
have no part In a National campaign
Let them be established and let then
he tried In tbs states that want then,