The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-18
From the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post
hNHE fate of the democratic party as
well as of prosperity will be decid-
L ed for better or for worse within
the next six months. Whether the party
shall establish itself in the confidence OF
the people of the United States and 50
win a long lease of power. and whether
gress of surgical delicacy that will eli,ni-
nate special privilege without destroying
the healthy fiber of business, depends
largely upon Oscar w. Underwood of Ala
bama, chairman of the ways and means
committee of the House.
Mr.. Underwood's patriotism, ability, and
courage are admitted by republicans as
we'll as democrats. He has the confidence
not only of President-elect Wilson, who
has spoken in high praise of his Judgment
and strength of character. but of the men
who have opposed him most vigorously ON
the floor of the House. 1t is we'll for the
democratic party that such man as Mr..
Underwood is chairman of the ways and
means committee at time like this, when
a problem of vital importance to the
American people must be solved.
The Post has held that the American
people at the last election spoke unmis-
takably for protective tariff. More than
o0OO more yotes were cast for the two
presidential candidates who stood for pro-
lection than for Mr.. Wilson. Concedins
for the sake of argument. however. that
the democratic party received a mandate
from the people to revise the tariff down.
ward, the great question that must be de-
cided by Mr.. Underwood is: How shall
that mandate be interpreter"
The great task of the party is to inter-
pret Alright the will of the people. Shall
the tariff be revised on the assumption
that the voters want a radical reduction
even If it should injuriously affect indus
try, wages, and general prosperity? Nc
sane man would advance such a PROPOSE
tion seriously.
Putting aside the undeniable fact that
majority of the voters were projections
lists, ii should be remembered that Mr.
Wilson, as a candidate, repeatedly said
that it was not the intention of the DEM
ocratic party to disturb prosperity. Re-
vision of the tariff, he said, should be
'sunhestatingly downward" but only sc
much of protection as Concealed special
privileges should be removed. 1t was
uron that definition of the democratic
programme so slccinctly stated by Mr.
Wilson, that the democratic voters put
their stamp of approval
The democrats who voted for President
elect Wilson are as patriotic as any Other
set of men. They are anxious for tbs
welfare of the country, and desirous oi
prosperity. Some of them understand thu
tariff very well and some do not under
stand it at all; but what they evidently
wanted was a reduction of duties in the
hope that they would be able to buy wha'
they need at cheaper prices. without any
impairment of wages They realize, as
we'll as the voters who cast their ballots
against the democratic party. that it l.
lro satisfaction in having prices reduced
IL the wherewithal to purchase is taker
away.
| To cut and yet not cut so deeply as Il
| impair the revenue; to prune. and ye
rot prune with eyes closed to the need!
of business and labor-that is the prot
the democratic party must work to carry
out the wishes of the people. II the alter
native of lowering of the tariff and tht
| sacrifice of prosperity were referred Il
the democratic voters, there is no doub
of what their verdict would be.
The people OF the United tSates TAXI
broad view OF all problems of govern
ment The crumbling of political partie
is due generally TO a failure to understand
the breadth of the public mind. or failure
to properly interpret the meaning of {
verdict at the pclIs. No one doubts tss'
patriotism of the people. If they could b'
asked directly whether they are in favo
of a big navy. they would answer en-
phaticaIly in the affirmative If the.
could be asked whether they want In