The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1912-08-15
DESIGNED TO MISLEAD
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM CONSIST
ENT WITH PARTYs HISTORY.
Especially Weak Is the Tariff Plank
Which Promises No Relief From
Present Observation-Disclosures
policy Favored.

There Is one guiding principle whlcn
readers Of the Republican platform
must keep in mind if they would estl-
mate that document at its real value.
That principle Is that every statement
and promise IN the platform must De
Judged Ii the light of the history ana
character Of the party which MADE IT,
II any utterance will bear two con-
structions the one which is in harmony
with the past Of the party is the one
to be believed. Where there is vague
ness and uncertainty in the language
the wise critic will inquire what abuse
characteristic of the party the Ian
guage cloaks.
The authority and integrity OF the
courts has been to Republican law OIL
fcers a beautiful abstraction. TO car
ry this policy further, the platform
makers propose federal trade COM
mission" which they frankly state IS
to supplant the courts in dealing with
certain great questions While the
language IS not clear, this commission
is evidently the Roosevelt-Perkins
court of big business, rich mans
court, to advise the combines how near
they may come to criminal conspiracy
without going to Jail. 1t IS to assume
the functions Of lord chancellor and
keep the corporations conscience.
Next IN order comes the treatment
Of the tariff Specifically, this Is
stronger declaration in favor OF down
ward revision than was in the plank
Of 1908. but left to the Interpretation
Of Republican congress and president
and there is no likelihood that any
real relief from tariff oppression would
ever be provided under 1t.
1t says some duties are too high. II
does not say the duties on stssl and
wool are too high. The INTERPRETATION
Of 1t must be in the light Of the Payne
Aldrich bill and the Taft veto of gen
uine tariff revision measures. The
tariff commission is approved. but one
will search in vain for any approval
OF the efforts of that body to separate
the cost Of the wool on a sleeps back
from the cost Of the rest Of the sheep.
Scientific revision OF the tariff is
called for and this comes from a party
whose idea Of scientific tariff making
has always been to call in the men
and interests to be benefited and ask
them how much they think they ought
to have.
The financial policy announced in
the platform seems to point to the
Aldrich banking and currency bill. 1t
closes with bid for the farmer vote
by holding out the prospect Of some
method by which farmers may borrow
money easily and cheaply. The Amer
ican farmer. who has for long while
been paying mortgages, not making
them, will know how to estimate this
paragraph at It's real value.
The platform discusses various 9th
er matters. Some Of them are not in
dispute and others have no standing
as political issues. In closing, the
platform challenges criticism Of the
administrations Of Mckinley. Roose-
yelt and Taft. The Mckinley admin
istrstion is rather remote for criticism
in this campaign, though it is open
to effective attack AS to the others,
RooseYelt's alliance with the trusts
and Yaft's opposition to genuine tariff
reform ace sufficient to condemn both
administrations Louis Republic.