The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1912-11-01
Noted Yale Economist Appeals
to Fellow Progressives
With clear Logic.
SAYS TARIFF IS THE ISSUE
Contracts Three Party Programs and
Declares Democratic Attitude the
Only Progressive One.
BY PRor. IRVING FISHER.


vas member OF President Roosevelt's
national conservation commission. n.-Ed.l
] write not as a Democrat but as
an Independent Progressive and in the
hope that my letter may help other
Progressives who are wavering to
make up their minds to vote for VIII
son. So far as / can see the only
hope Of progressive Legislation lies IN
the election Of Wilson. My reasons.
in brief. follow:
4. DEADLOCK IN CONGRESS-
II 1t we're possible to elect Mr.. Taft
there would merely be repeated the
same deadlock with congress and fail
ure to secure progressive legislation
which has been experienced in his
first term.
II It were possible to elect Mr..
Roosevelt even less could be accom-
plished. for the reason that he would
not have sympathetic congress.
2. DEADLOCKED ELECTION.-To
be still more practical. we should CON
slider that the result Of us independ-
ents voting for Taft or Roosevelt in
stead Of for Wilson may be to pre-
vent any one Of the three from being
elected.
3. THE TARlFF.-If, on the other
hand we independent Progressives
unite for The most part in voting for
Wilson he can be elected, and, If elect
ed, can accomplish substantial legisla-
tion, because with him will be elected
a sufficient number OF Democrats to
give majority in both houses. To
this my Bull Moose friends reply that
not all Democrats are progressives
and will not carry out a progressive
platform. 2e
This argument overlooks the fact
that the paramount issue Of this cam
paign is the tariff and that progress
sive tariff reform means progressive
tariff Feduction.ig It is just because
the Democrats have been a party OF
negstion, so farsas the tariff is con
cerned, that they. if anybody, can be
trusted to reform it downward.
MIR. Roosevelt would be equally IN
able and far more unwilling than Mr..
Taft to reduce the tariff. In his seven
years in Office he left the tariff un-
touched, and now he speaks primarily
as a protectionist and not as a tariff
reformer. He Yields grudgingly to the
demand for tariff reduction, but gives
no clear argument for It, Instead, he
repeats the old fallacious arguments
to make our poor workmen believe
that high tariff raises wages.
Governor Wilson and his party, on
the other hand, are ardent tariff re-
formers. In this respect the Demo
cratic platform is the only progressive
platform of the three.
Why should we blind ourselves by
the introduction Of numerous other
Issues which could not be settled in
the present campaign when we have
before us the greatest Issue Of all. the
tariff, which CAN be settled?
l. ISSUES ECONOMIC WiIson's
grasp Of the problems OF the hour far
surpasses that Of Roosevelt or Taft
Mr.. Roosevelt has frequently admit
ted that economic problems such as
the tariff. the cost of living, the cur
rency and the economic problems con.
neeted with trusts not only have no
attraction for him. but have never
been understood by him.
5. THE PEOPLES INTERESTS
Wilson is more truly democratic than
Roosevelt and more untrammeIed in
his devotion to the interests Of the
people as a whole Those who
accuse Wilson OF recently adopting
new democratic doctrines because
their popularity would help him per
sonali5 should learn that, on the con.
trary. he adopted them dn his fight
to democratic, Princeton university
when their unpopularity IN the circles
IN which his activities then lay nesrly
threatened TO destroy his influence
and career.
s. PURE FOODS Governor VIII
son and the Democratic party have
shown greater interest than either
Taft or Roosevelt In the protection
OF the consumer against food adul-
teration and other injuries to the pub
lie health DR. Wiley, although pre-
viously a Republican, now has decid-
ed not only to vote for Wilson, but to
help him actively in the campaign.
7. THIRD TERM.-To eject Mr..
Roosevelt would deal fatal blow to
the useful tradition against third
term. Nor do ! think It alto.
gether improbable that If Mr.. Roose-
welt we're again elected president he
would. whateyes his preeent inten.
tions. gradually assume the role Of
benevolent despot His natural TEN.
permanent is that of a dictatov.
write IS one who still holds per
sonal respect both for Colonel Roose-
welt and President Taft and In no
spirit Of personal hostility to either
7 believe that all three candidates IN
tend to do right as God gives them
to see the right but think neither
Taft nor Roosevelt sees the right as
afanrfu au uuon1rnsv ruglaon