Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-11-01
Noted Boston Merchant Appeals
to- Business Men With
Logic For Wilson
STABILITY WHAT WE NEED.
Full Measure of Prosperity Cannot Be
Realized Until Country 10 Satisfies
I With Genuine Tariff Reform.

Edward A. rnene Is president OF Ed
ward A, Filene & son. Boston. Mass. one
OF the larseAt retail dry goods stores of
the country. He is a former president OF
the Boston chamber Or commerce. Nom.
Der OF the National Council af Commerce
National Civic federation, National News
paper league. Cleveland chamber OF COM
meree aud a member Of score OF clubs
and other organizations. is the author OF
many articles on business. civic, labor ana
Industrial relations,l
TO the Merchants and Business Men
of the United States;
John wanamaker's appeal to you In
the New York Herald OF Oct. 4. calling
for continent wide rally TO the sup.
port OF MIR Taft on the part of the
merchants and business men OF tho
country, has no doubt received your
serious attention. 1t has seemed TO
me that those of us I'm business who
believe Mr., Wanamaker's position IL
mistaken should make known our po-
sitions and the reasons for our firm
belief that the business of the country
will be best served by the election OF
Governor Wilson TO the presidency.
There IL every reason TO believe that
we are on the eve of abundant pros
perity. and In my opinion one thing
likely to prevent the setting In OF such
a period would be the reelection Of
President Taft and the one thing that
would make prosperity most certain
would be the election OF Governor VIII
sou. This opinion IL based upon my
belief that for the business world moth
Ing else Is so important as stability.
Stability Is impossible with Mr.. Taft
as president: there has been no feeling
of stability during his administration
It Is not that the president is dis,
turber of conditions or that he Is not
sufficiently careful OF the business In
forests of the country. The absence
OF any feeling OF stability during the
Taft administration nus been and Is
due to a widespread belief that there
are certain reforms which the great
body of aNople want and thar the gen.
eral feeling OF unrest win not material
ly lessen until these reforms are &C.
compllshed.
President Taft's reelection would
not create any feeling OF assurance
that there would be a satisfactory so.
luton of the tariff question. BY a sat
isfactory solution | mean removal OF
unjust and unnecessary taxation,
Entirely apart from his veto OF tnr-
III legislation the mere face that the
president signed the payne-Alirich tar,
iff bill and later declared that IL was
the best tariG bin ever written. hns
made Il impossible for the public 10
have any considerable confidence that
they may expect real relief from him
Roeaovslt's Record.
Upon this matter MIR. Roosevelt's rec.
ord f. not much better than that of
Mr. Taft, nor is bis present position on
the tariff much more promising than
that OF the president The agitation
for reform began while President Me-
Kiney was still in office and bad then
reached such proportions that the couu-
try IN general approved Of the nd.
vanced position which Mckinley took
IN lss Buffalo speech. IL increased
steadily during the seven and half
years In which Roosevelt was presi-
dent. but he made no attempt TO give
the people any relief from tariff exac'
tons He does not now offer any def
nlte tarin program These things lend
me TO believe That his election now,
like the reelection OF TAFT would mem
four years more OF tarifr agitation,
With Wilson elected one may reason
ably expect satisfactory solution OF
the tariff question His expressions
I on this matter show u full conception
( Of the country wide demand for TAR
IN refornl. thorough knowledge 81
the WAYS N whlch tariT laws are made
and Il determination 10 seciire ~
promptly ar possible the much needed
legislation 81 She same time Cover
nor Wilson hrs shown that he reeos
nizes as Il fact the iutimfie relation
which tariff hHs been made 70 nave if
+ the structure of busness 10 this coun
try ana that he would keep This fael
IN mind IN nandhng tarin legislation
! Governor wilson's election wotilt
mean and would ne taken by the cpuf
try Mt large 20 mean that We wqnie
have very enrly 10 hls administrators
revision Of the fariH WHICH wuiile
give the country the relief il IS Dc
mandlng aud which AZ the same tim
would be made carefully aad with !
view % preventing business disturb
anee
UntH this Is doue or n least nnti
the country feels sure tbat It IS 10 ~
done. there eanhoi be that STABILITY
WHICH * so necessary 70 the fnies
development 6e an ern o. rFosWrty-
Truth About Prosperity
Certainly the fdet~ de- ial warfaa
AIR. wanamakers eaneinsleA that !
Republican notwithstanding iiiSarr- foH
perity aud that tie periods Ut irnsle 81
preston whleh the country MS sefi
from time to time have heen diie i
Democratic tariff revision ar, Wana
maker's appeal is based largely % ~
theory that Democratic tafsg ffslSiDl
was responsible f. the hard times 0