New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-09
The First Evidence of a Reaction
Against Wilson.

..,. ot tho special Congressional election
in New Jersey is blow TO President wilson,
cannot he explained away by saying 'hat the u''
trict is normally Republican,
u ;s NOT normally Republican by any sucn piui"''
-. Dr,,Lor received. The Democratic party
inst ESCAPED becoming the third party IN Inc i"o''
rho. 10 NOT normal The city Of Paterson went NJ
publican That is not normal
roa, overturn took place The Prosress''e
..,r almost disappeared in the zeal of the Vo'ei'
,o defeat President Wilson's candidate
President Wilson'S candidate because the rreS'''"'
himself identified O'Byrne's cause with HIS OWL
And tho Socialist party emerged and pecoine q"
<...,r o,uavs q sign of industrial discomfort
Much was heard during the campaign ol 'D'
Panama Canal tolls issue. But it Is lnconceNNo''
that il had much influence with the voters ''''
SON and Passaic the chief centres OF popuia'io" !"
49, Concross district. are manufacturing towns
Nh. 10 mill workers care whether American
coastwise shipping goes through the Panama O"""
free or not? Would the issue Of remltuns 'oiiS
make Socialists? Yet the growth of the Soclaiis'
vote is as striking phase of the election as 'ne
decline Of the Democratic vote.
The New Jersey district is only small part oil
the country but its action is the first sign that the
reaction has at last set in which the wilson au-
ministration had TO fear from the existing period
., irdretria, denresson. The Paterson Passaic
district was just the sort of district in when tne
reaction would be likely first to manifest itself.
Workers in smaller industrial concerns would
feel the full force of industrial depression quickly
Tho larger cmplovers of labor, like the railroads,
have only Just begun to lay off men extensively.
bic industrial concern, like the Lackawanna
Steel Company. whose report just made public
shows that if is more than 100000 worse off for
the first quarter of this year than it was for the
first quarter of last year, is still endeavoring to
hold ifs staff Of workers together though part time
prevails in its works.
1t is entirely just that the unemployed and partly
employed of Paterson and 'qssaio should hold
President Wilson in measure responsible for
teir plight The readjustments made necessary
by the Wilson tariff have had a great deal to do
with the slowing up of business. And the Presi-
dent has steadily put obstacles in the way Of bust
ness recovery by insisting upon the consideration
of unsetting legislative projects during the critical
period Of tariff reimbursement.
He has thought only of making a record for his
party. while the industries of the country have
been forced TO policy Of "watchful waiting He
is not perhaps responsible for the lnaction Of the
Interstate Commerce Commission, which is bring
ing about the discharge OF thousands Of railroad
laborers but with the head Of the administration
taking his tim, legislation while business suf
fers a subordinate commission is not likely to bt
impressed with the need of promptness.
He has shown as little sense as the commission
has Of the seriousness OF the industrial situation
He has talked fine phrases about constitutions OF
peace while Congress. under his leadership, contrib
uted to the general uncertainty. Perhaps the New
Jersey elections will a warning TO him.