New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-30
WORKING PHILADELPHIA.

WORKING PHILADELPHIA.
Governor Wilson visited Philadelphia
Monday evening and, as was TO be eX-
pected disclosed himself in that strong
hold of protection as a Carey-Randall-
"Pig Iron" Kelley protectionist. No
wonder he had a rOusing reception.
Philadelphia was kind to Randall, al
though he called himself Democrat,
and il will applaud any other Democrat
who does not believe in Democratic
economic heresieS and says that he is
willing to follow in Randalls footsteps
Mr. Wilson stated his tariff policy in
two paragraphs which showed that he
knew what he was doing when he said
I'm his speech Of acceptance that the
Baltimore platform was mot pro-
gramme" If he ever possessed q copy
of the Baltimore platform, he was care
full to drop it out Of the car window
on the way to Philadelphia. There
was no faint Of Democracy, for in
stance, in this description Of his theory
of a proper protective tariff:
want to ask you to face very frank
ly the actual circumstances in which
we stand and then ask yourselves what
we ought to do. The so-called tarln
system has ceased 10 be system or
protection. 1t has become a system OF
extortion, Of special favors and of mo-
nopoly. and il is extortion and special
favors and monopoly that we propose
e, rc,Y ont nd Dotbin0 else
It has always been the plan and the
hope of all rational protectiOnists to
root out of tariff legislation all special
favors and all shelter for monopoly.
Protection is given primarily for the
public benefit, and to make the sys-
tenn do its proper work it must be kept
free of abuses through which individ-
uals or special localities profit. Root
ing out "extogtion and special favors
and monopoly" wherever they exist
would restore the protective system to
its pristine vigor 1t is the cardinal
purpose at which every true protection
list aims.
Again. the Democratic candidate
said:
Now, with regard to radical changes
In the national programme. Nobody is
proposing TO upset business, and the
very gentlemen who are threatening
YOU with the upturning of the founda-
lions of business know that nobody is
proposing TO do more than they prom
lsed to do and broke their promises.
This can mean only that in Philadel-
phia Governor Wilson intends to stand
on the Republican national platform Of
1908 and not on the Democratic ma
tional platforms Of 1908 and 1912.
What the Republican party promised
four years ago the Democratic nomi-
nee says is his sole desire to fulfil,
The Republican National Convention Of
1908 promised tariff revision on the
principle Of recognizing the differential
in cost of production here and abroad.
1t described the aim of the party as
being mot only to preserve without ex-
''cessive duties that security against
foreign competition to which American
manufacturers, farmers and pro-
"ducers are entitled, but also to main
tain the high standard Of living Of the
wage earners Of this country, who are
''the most direct bene6ciarles Of the
protective system"
A statesman passing for Governor
Wilson said recently In this city that
there were no benef1ciaries Of protec-
ton and that the protective system was
a cruel hoax. The Wilson Of the Phil
adelphia meeting ought to prosecute
him as q slanderous impersonator. He
didn't tell the Philadelphians that he
would. but probably he will, after the
election; If they give him their votes.
If Philadelphia were still the national
capital It would be easy TO believe that
the Democratic candidate, If elected,
would remain a perfect Randallite.
But II he should 60 TO Washington and
get In touch again with the unterrifed
patriots who put him in nomination
and pledged him to the Baltimore plat
form he might be as ready to drop poor
Randall as the latter's Democratic as
sociates were to drop him twenty-five
years ago. Yet who can tell what will
happen with a statesman who always
has TO find out where he is before he
can tell where he stands?