The Washington herald., 1912-10-06

| against overconhdence.
The Democratic managers have taken
| it for granted-and with considerable
foundation-that Mr.. Wilson is certain
to win Senator Gore of Oklahoma
stated their position when he said that
the split between Taft and Roosevelt
would elect wilson They have, there
fore, expressed little or no concern
when Gov. Wilson's tours were notice
able for a lack of enthusiasm. They
have not even attempted to make a
vigorous speaking campaign. Now,
however, they are realizing that they,
too, must make fight if they hope to
win. They found that Bryan's trip
through the far West was not helpful,
and that Gov. Wilson's outspoken ad-
voeacy of free trade has alarmed both
manufacturers and farmers. So they
are now making the high cost of living
their battle cry and asserting that un-
der Democratic administration the bur-
den will be lessened 1t is an effective
appeal to the millions of people who
rather inconsistency believe that pros
perity and general slump in every
thing can go together hand in hand
There has been little hurrah in this
campaign. The struggle is not of the
hurrah kind. People are not convinced
by brass bands, nor are their judgments
influenced by red torches They want
to know. Reports from all sections in
dictate that the great mass of the voters
is ready and willing to learn. The de-
mand for literature is overwhelming.
The number of copies of speeches on
vital issues already runs up into the
millions, and each item of supply be-
comes exhausted as soon as the presses
stop. This is one of the features of
this campaign.
One would think after the tariff had
been discussed as political issue for
nearly a century the people would be
generally well informed upon the sub
ject. As matter of fact, the question
of protection versus free trade is as
apparently new to-day as it was in 1924.
Gov Wilson is talking tariff, and the
Republican managers have gone TO the
expense of sending a special train as
far West as Denver with speakers who
are TO tell the people what protection
has done for this country. The fact
is, that the tariff-despite the fact that
it seems a forbidding and uninteresting
TOPICS really the basis of not only
our commercial, but our social condi-
tons. If the country is prosperous, it
is possible to have better wages for
workingmen, better homes for the peo-
pie, more convenience on the farm. 1t
is also possible for larger gifts to be
made to charitable institutions and to
hospitals. If the country is in the
depths of despair, men sleep in the
parks and beg their food at the soup
houses. So that the tariff is, after all,
the one great vital factor in our ma
tional life.
Long ago it was predicted in these
columns that the tariff would be the
chief issue of the campaign. The pre-
diction has come true. 1t is now evil
dent that the one chief asset of the
Republican party to-day is that under
sixteen years of Republican administra-
ton there has been a steady advance
in material and social progress.
But against this progress and against
the safe, wise, and impartial admins
tration of President Taft there must
be placed the chasm in the party Gre
ated by Roosevelt This is the factor in
the situation which meets the political
prophet at every turn.
1t is not at all unlikely that for a |
short time, at least the developments
of the campaign fund investigating
committee will overshadow the cam
paign.
Mr. PooeevaIt'e tra,e,rer &C.. .t,+.J