The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1913-09-12
A Government By Conscience.

There IS bit OF moral history bound
up with the progress Of the present
Tariff Bill through Congress which
patriotic Americans cannot afford to
overlook.
The movement in favor of tariff re-
form is no new thing. One Of the great
est tariff debates in history was that oil
1887, in which Roger @. Mills led, and
Benton McMillin, Sunset" Cox and
William Mckinley took part. Nothing
has been added to tariff reform argu-
ments since that day, except that the
discussion OF wages has been shifted by
the Democrats from the question Of
wages per day to that Of the labor-cost
of products--obviously the only rele-
want consideration. This accepted, the
question rests now where it was in 1887.
1t is the people that have changed.
The national conscience has gained in
sensitiveness. The tremendous impera-
tive Of the word ought" in modern
politics was undreamed of by the men
of 1887. Here and there was one who
saw clearly the moral issue bound up in
extricably with policy which involved
taxing one man for the pecuniary profit
of another. In some instances Sum
set" Cox is the most conspicuous ex-
ample he drove bis message home
with brilIiancy and power. But for the
most part the moral side of politics was
considered bad form Grover Cleve-
land seemed to the politicians as one
crying in the wilderness. The question
was discussed on the grounds Of eco
nomic expediency. Unimaginative gen.
tlemen, genial, statistical and essentially
superficial from the standpoint OF scien-
tific economics like William Mckinley,
were the favorites.
To-day, the tariff appeals Of McKin-
ley would fall upon deaf ears. 1t is
but just to his memory to add that the
change began in his day, and that he
himself had part in it. The last three
years OF his life shook him out of his
SNUG and narrow philosophy. On the
business side, Mckinley had begun to
see that the tariff policy OF high pro-
lection was too narrow for the markets
OF the world. But there was moral
change within him also. He talked
more OF duty and destiny, and less of
dollars. Never man in advance Of
his time, he felt the change which came
over American politics.
Twenty years ago tariff debate con-
cerned itself chiefly with prosperity;
to-day it concerns itself chiefly with
Justice. From the material point OF
view, the country is doing better than
ever before, in spite Of its silly and
hampering tariff laws. (This proves
of course; we are richer than
ever before in spite OF our silly and
hampering currency laws.) But the in
Justice OF the tariff, the special advan-
Lages given the few by legislation inim-
cal to the interests Of the many, the
effect on our political life Of
,he interference OF big business in gov
srnment these things have revolted
he American people.
A government by popular intelligence
s an old ideal, and high one. But
people may be brilliant in mind and
quick OF perception, yet selfish and
old, perpetuating iniustices, deaf to
he voice of the weak and oppressed.
The highest ideal is government by
popular conscience. Democracy must
,ome closer and closer to the ideal of
he new earth, wherein dwelleth right
,ousness. The Underwood Tariff Bill is
significant as step toward the ideal. ~
u. Louis Republic.