The Washington herald., 1912-08-04

cans into unacceptable pulp. It is
the white men and not the negroes
whose votes count in the South.
Mr.. Roosevelfs attitude toward the
colored man in this particular instance
is thoroughly in accord with his pasl
record. There would never have beer
a wholesale dismissal of soldiers al
Brownsville if the companies had beer
composed of white men, and every one
knows that Mr.. Roosevelt's recognition
of the negro during his administration
was infrequent and not spontaneous
1t is a pity, of course, that he has
gone to the extent of arousing race
iprejudices in a section where, during
the past few years, there has been a,
least an outward show of harmony
Desperate conditions, however, demand
desperate remedies and the sacrifice
of the colored brother in the South is
to be made complete.
Gov. Wilson's declaration that he IA
vors only a gradual reduction of tariff
duties will not be indorsed by the free
traders in his party, but it shows con-
siderable political wisdom. He is evil
IDENTIFY aware that if he declares for an
immediate and wholesale revision of
the tariff he will frighten every manu-
facturer and business man into a state
of blue funk.
Senator Mason of Illinois once told
a story of the man who wanted to cut
off the tail of his fox terrier, and in
order not to hurt the dog used TO cut
off a little bit of the tail every day.
This story will undoubtedly be the an
swer of the Republicans to Gov. Will
sons proposition. If the tariff is
brought gradually to revenue only
basis, the period of uncertainty and
pain will only be prolonged. Everybody
agrees that there ought to be a down.
ward revision of the schedules. Presi-
dent Taft has already shown that un-
der the operation of the present tariff
law the number and value of articles
imported free of duty has largely in
creased, while the average ad valorem
duty has decreased. When the tariff
is revised, however, it should be done
upon a scientific and business basis,
and not in a haphazard fashion by men
who know nothing of commercial in
terests, nor of the details of foreign
competition.
1t is said that Gov Wilson proposes
to emphasize the tariff question in his
speech of acceptance. There is no
doubt that he will also take occasion
to assure the business world that he is
not in favor of radical action. He
knows that the commercial progress of
this country is due to the protective sys-
TEN and that even to threaten to over
run that system at one full swoop would
be to create, in Roosevelt's words, a
ruin which would be nationwide.
While it is interesting to discuss the
large questions at issue, it is also i'm
portant to glance at conditions in the
various States and consider their re-
lation to the campaign.
1t must be admitted that an analysis
of the situation is not to the advantage
of the Republican party. This is es-
pecially true in the Presidents home
State where factional differences seri-
ously threaten the success of the Taft
ticket. There are many who honestly
and sincerely believe that State pride
will, in the end, insure the State for
Mr.. Taft, but impartial observers realize
that there is an enormous amount of
work to be done. In Kansas the Roose-
welt sentiment is rampant, and there is
litigation over the placing of Taft and
Roosevelt electors on the electoral
ticket. South Dakota, too, is in state
of political rebellion, and the same may
be said of California and Minnesota. In
fact, there is enough of the Roosevelt
movement in a dozen States to cause
detection of serious import in the Re-
publican column.
The Democrats, on the other hand,
seem imbued with spirit of solidarity
quite unusual in that party. Mr.. Taft
will have to draw largely from the
Democratic ranks to Offset the loss of
Roosevelt supporters, and while in 1896
thousands upon thousands of Demo-
Gratis voted for Mckinley. there is no
evidence at the present time that they
will desert Wilson in great numbers
This is the situation which oonfronts
the Republican leaders. 1t is not a ques-
ton whether Roosevelt will receive any
electoral votes. He may and he may
not 1t is question, however, whether
enough Republican votes will be di-
vided between Taft and Roosevelt in
many States to insure a majority in
those States for the Democratic cleo
toral tickets.
This, after all, is the crux of the
campaign. 1t is the condition which
the Republican managers must meet,