The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-12-15

and paid by the consumer; that it shall
afford benehcent protection to women
and children; that it shall control the
hours and the wages of labor. No
wonder that its ideaistN programme
appeals so strongly to the popular mind.
The fact remains, however, that there
are many millions of people in this
country who are opposed both by
judgment and by temperament to these
ideas, They are quite willing and even
anxious 10 see human conditions i'm
proved, but they do not believe that
if We are to, have a republic under
system which has successfully endured
and prospered for considerably more
than a century we cannot give our
selves entirely over to radical leaders
and radical ideas. In this difference
of opinion, apparently lies the future
political cleavage of the American peo-
pie.
The tariff has, in the past, been our
principal political issue One man IA
vored the principle of protection, in
greater or less degree, while his neigh
Dor advocated either a tariff for reve-
nue. only or absolute free trade. Even
vet the tariff remains an issue and will
be the dividing line in the next Con-
gress 1t is evident. however, that
times are changing. There is already
widespread belief that the tariff
should be taken out of politics-as, in
deed, it ought to be-and when this
sentiment finally crystallizes into law,
we shall see new alignments. We shall
have a party advocating practically a
government by commissions. The In
terstate Commerce Commission, instead
OF being alone in its glory, will find its
counterpart in factory commissions,
food commissions. country and city life
commissions, health commissions, farm
and industrial commissions This was
RoOsevelt's idea when he was Presi-
dent; for, it will be remembered, he
created so many commissions that Con-
gress called a halt Both he and those
who believe with him-some with pa
triotic purpose and others with selfish
design-would have the power OF the
government exercised over every phase
of human existence.
While it is as clear as daylight that
the issues OF the future are thus to
be radically different from the past,
the question as to the outcome still
remains in doubt. 1t can be predict
ed. with reasonable certainty, that the
next four years will witness serious
division in the Democratic ranks. Apart
from the fact that the Democrats al
ways have the unfortunate faculty of
dEagreeing, there are certain to be
differences over the tariff and currency
reform, to say nothing OF such impor-
tant matters as trust regulation and So
called progressive legislation. Already
Mr.. Bryan. whose independence of
thought and action is always to be
commended. has announced his attitude
on some of these questions, although
he is Significantly silent on the tariff.
His proposition that the government
shall issue emergency currency will, for
instance. excite opposition. Antagonism,
however. never has and never will
affect Mr.. Bryan. What he be-
lievcs in he fights for. While he is
not ambitious of power. in the Roose-
veltian sense he is characterized by
devotion to principle. and he has a
following sufficiently large to seriously
threaten the solidity of the Demo-
cratic party If it docs not adopt his
programme.