New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-04
A BLIND POOL" PLEA.

Governor Wilson has new rever-
sible, hack-action answer TO anybody
who may question the wisdom Of any
of his party's policies or be disquieted
over the vagueness of his declarations
on vital issues. 1t practically amounts
10 saying: Never mind what were
going 10 do. We're in the same boat
with you and can't swamp you with
"out swapping ourselves. Discuss
ing critics who feared that Democratic
victory would bring hard times, the
Governor in Buffalo said:
They forget that Democrats consti-
tute. something like half the nation
that Democrats are engaged in occupa-
tons of every kind. depend upon all
sorts Of business for their livelihood.
share in every interest and enterprise
Of the country. II may safely be taken
/ for granted that Democrats are not
going 10 destroy themselves econom-
/ ically
That Is q pretty piece Of special
pleading. but what does IL mean and
what reinsurance does II givef II 1t
warrants confidence that the Demo
Gratis will do no harm, 1t warrants
equal confidence that the Republicans
will conserve the interests of the peo-
pie. for they likewise are something
like half the nation. II any party
[ has merely 10 point 10 the potential
vote behind il as evidence Of the merits
Of its proposals IL need never attempt
70 defend in the forum of opinion a
policy, no matter how wild and hay
it may be- II need simply point to the
fact that a large body Of people are
prepared 10 let their leaders carry out
that policy and Of course they wouldn't
/ consent to anything really harmful,
which is the redHctio Gd dbsprdam Of
political discussion.
In 1896 Mr. Bryan had something
} like half the nation behind him in
his demand for free silver coinage az
! Is 10 l. Those Democrats shared IN
every enterprise Of the country. and
he. too. might have argued that II
might safely be taken for granted that
/ they were not going 10 destroy them
selves economically But would that
/ have made free silver any less danger
/ Gus? Governor Wilson knows that the
/ free silver policy was morally and eco
nomically wrong and that the blind
/ ness of even a majority Of the people
/ to its evils would not have made Its
( adoption anything but disastrous.
Again. more than half Of the people
were behind the party which passed
/ the Wilson tariff. but there followed a
period Of Frustrated industries which
sent labor into idleness just the same.
( Something like half the people were
/ Democrats in 1864. but the policy OF
the Democratic party would have de-
stroyed the Union. Ignorance. preju'
/ dice. blind following Of unwise leaders
NAV array a majority in support OF
/ bad measures which would be injurious
/ 20 the very persons who vote for them.
Governor Wilson's plan 20 avoid dis
cussion Of the concrete features Of his
platform is ingenious, but unworthy
of man OF his intelligence. He would
command more respect If he would
squarely face the Democratic tariff
plank and show in detail how the plan
proposed is going 10 work, instead OF
asking the people 10 90 into a blind
pool" with him. The platform says
that duties with a protective purpose
are unconstitutional Does Mr.. VIII
son accept this? II so, is he going to
/ abolish all protective duties He has
declared against taxation for the bene
/ fit Of any particular class or section as
unconstitutional Is he going 70 lower
/ duties especially for the farmers, 10
whom the other day he spoke fayorably
of the discriminatory Farmers Free
List bill? Let Mr. Wilson be little
bit explicit" on the subject. He says
1t is easy for him 10 be explicit but
he has not yet shown IT in this cam
! paign.