The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1913-05-16
DOING AS COMMANDED

The tariff bill passed through the
house of representatives by the DEM
ocratic majority is fair and sub
stantial fulfilment of the democratic
campaign promises respecting tht big
issue. 1t ought to meet with general
approval, for there can be no ques-
ton that the vote for Mr.. Wilson and
his party was an expression OF a de-
sire for radical readjustment of the
tariff, as was also the vote for Mr..
Roosevelt. And the combined vote
for those two candidate last fall rep
resented large majority Of the elect
ors of these United States.
The foundation of the Qnpsition to
President Taft was d ltisfaction
with the Payne-Aldrich 1lAf bill, a
purely protective measure, and a de-
sire for an abandonment of the pro-
tective principle as one tending to
foster trusts and create privilege. The
republicans who adhered to the pro-
tective principle in the campaign OF
last year were denounced as stand
patters and reactionaries. When tie
| votes were counted the standpatLers
| were shown to be in a hopeless min
ority, and the will of the people un-
mistakably registered in favor of tariff
reduction all along the line.
| Il, nv,1 tho CT q
this time for those who oppose free
trade or low tariff to censure the dem
ocratic party leaders for attempting
to carry out their partys pledge Of
radical tariff reduction. Particularly
does this opposition come with IL
grace from those who style them
selves progressives and profess to be
lieve in absolute submission to tn,
will of the majority of the people
None was louder last year in demand
ing that the expressed will OF thu
people at any given election shcul'
be the sole guide and standard o
action for the party given power. NJ
of the people of this country demand
ed a sweeping and Thorough revis
ion of the Payne-Aldrich tariff las
November, and yet, among the mos
heated and obstinate opponents Of tn
democratic program in the house Q
representatives have been the leader
of the so-called progressive party.
The republicans in the house or
posed and voted against the de &c
cratic tariff bill on principle. The
were consistent and honest in thei
position. They were elected frol
tlonists and were merely standin
firmly, if hopelessly, by their belle
when they strove to prevent an abaud
onment of the protective principle. ]
is different with the progressivcs
however There would have been n
progressive party if it had not beel
FOR the dissatisfaction create,
throughout the entire country will
the last republican tariff. That dis
satisfaction was stirred and fomente,
and capitalized by an element within
the patry that thought far more =,
securing office than of advancing {
principle or set of principles. II was
used as force to disrupt the repub.
llcan party and foundation upou
which to attempt the construction Of
new party organization. The ma.
tional progressive party platform de-
manded radical reduction in a num-
Der OF the tariff schedules and a GEN.
eral revision of the entire tariff.
The tariff question was in reality
the one big issue of the last campaign.
IL Is true that the progressives tried
10 inject lot of other issues into the
contest, and they succeeded in caus-
ing some of their proposals to be dis
cussed, but it proved impossible to
substitute any other for the tariff or
TO avoid discussing that dangerous
problem. In fact the tariff was so
pressing question that for the first
time in his political career, Theodore
roosevelt was forced to treat of II
in his political Trades.
The truth is, the democrats were
commissioned by the people to experi-
ment with a near approach to free
trade, and in trying that experiment
they ought to receive the unstinted
praise, commentator and assistance
Of the progressive partizans.
The republicans are still secure in
heir adherence to the protective prin-
'lple. They believe the democratic
heory of free trade is wrong and dan
'erous in practice, and in opposing an
lttempt to place the country on a free