The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1912-08-02

thing real on real issues, and the an.
nouncement of radical poitoics with
much sound and fury, and at the same
time with a cautious aooonlpanimn 81
the meat out Of the preceding star,
ment. Neither the Republican nor tn.
Democratic platform shows the slign,.
est grasp of the real situation tina,
we are now face to face with grea,
Industrial evolution which. unless frank
ly accepted as such by the gwrDmentt
will become an industrial revolution
Three or four of the issues involved
In tlis movement have been tonahed
on by the two parties in their plat
forms-the right of the people 90 have
their representatives really represent
than, the right Of the people to emt.ody
their sense Of civic justice in their
statute laws even over the Objection Of
reacaionary counts, the cost of living,
the tariff problem, and the trust prob
lem. On all these matters both parties
have spoken loudly, but on no one Of
them has either panty spoken clearly.
What the Baltimore platform says
on the tariff and the trust illustrates
completely what mean. II first de-
clares that protective duties are IN
constitutional. IL the Democratic OAR.
ty Is sincere in this belief, then II is
necessarily committed to a oonstruc.
ton Of the constitution which would
gravely Impair the powers which the
government has employed Lime and
time axain for industrial and social
betterment. Ii It is unconsti,uttonal 10
Impose protective duties for the sake
of helping wage-workens, then 1t Is
unconstitutional to lay an inheritance
tax or an income tax for the purpose
of equalizlng burdens and securing a
better distribution OF wealth; then II
Is unconstitutional to collect a corpo-
ration tax, levied with the Incidental
purpose Of securing publicity regari-
Ing corporation and trust methods;
then the State hank tax. imposed for
the purpose Of regulating the issuance
Of currency. was and still " un-
CONSTITUTIONAL; then would be- I'M
con Institutional to enact any kind of
workmen's insurance law that would
levy a tax for the purpose of creaaing
a fund out of which waae-earners
would receive insurance; 1t would be
IN unconstitutional to use the taxing
power of the government, in any form
'or the purpose of Improving social
conditions and promoting economic ef-
iioiency.
"There can he a legitimate DISCUSS
ZION as 30 Ahe extent To which the
principle Of protection should be a,-
llied, and In my judgement 1t should De
lpplied for totally different aurposss
han those for which 1T has been ap-
'lied for the last three years. But 1t
$ quite impossible to declare the
'rinHp1e Of Pqtection itself az un-
CONSTITUTIONAL, unless the constellation
$ inerpneted in a way THAT would at
nee reduce Ms to imp0tenae In deal
ng with nine-tenths OF tine SERIOUS So
ial and industrial problems which now
onfnont us.
If DIR. Wilson We're elecLed. he would |
ither have TO repudiate the pnmLses !
lade about the tariff in the Demo-
ratdc platform or else bring every in
ustry In the country % a crash.
'hiah would make all the paltos On our
asst history seem like ahild,s Ilay In
omparison."
AS a matter of fact, II Ahe Demo-
'aaic party came into slower, Il would
oubtless break both pledges: dt would
Ut abolish all prOtective dstdes, hut ii
ould act with sufficient unwtsdom
'out them To cause nation wide dis
tier.
The same thing Is True In what the
altmore platform says OF The high
m Of living. u states that import
tiles on the nsaessantes Of hts must
m,assrially reduced. Yet later on