The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-09-17

ly. desire to buy from abroad as ex.
pressed in the Underwood competitive
tariff. rather than to produce It our
selves.
The same situation obtains in many
other articles. II the war continues,
this country will be compelled to re-
sort to Republican policies of develop
ing our own. resources to supply our
own needs. rather than to open up
these needs to the supply from for
eign countries. Protection prevents
Europe from driving American labor
down or business to the wall. The
war will entirely destroy Europe as .
competitor. The folly of the Demo
cratic idea is no better displayed than
by the spasms which the administrar
tion is having over remedial legisla-
tion to cure their former errors.
Republican Party Champions Of Msr.
chant Marine.
The Republican party has consist
emily favored a policy for building our
merchant marine. Whenever q prop
csition to lend governmental assist
ance to such enterprise appeared. the
Democracy cried subsidy" Now,
when the cotton crop is in danger of
lying on the wharves Of southern ports
without a. market, the Democrats are
inclined to bring in proposition not
to subsidize, but for the government
to go into the insurance business, to
lend our flag to foreign ships to carry
our goods and even to purchase the
ships ami enter the government ship
ping enterprise, and that at a time
when such a policy would almost Ger.
tainly involve US In the war with the
rest of the world. Had we been wise.
we would have favored the consistent,
policy of building merchant marine
in the past, then in times of war like
the present we could have continued
as a neutral nation to carry the
worlds products without risking the
jealousy and i'll will of the belliger0nI
powers.
But now, without a position on the
sea, suppose we try to do by actual
purchase by the government what We
ought to have been able to do through
stimulation of private enterprise, and
thus go into the market, buy these
vessels now stranded because Of the
belligerent situation upon the sea,
carry food to warning nations of Eu-
rope, have we the assurance that we
will remain out of the war?
Danger Of Complication.
A government owned vessel pur.
chased from any country, carrying
-four to Germany would not be exempt
from attack by England, France, ia
pan or Russia. In case of an attack
upon the government vessel, how long
could we hope to remain neutral? 1t
is not the part of wisdom now to do
in haste a doubtful thing which
should nave been forestalled by q
wise policy of government stimulation
of enterprise.
Could We build up our merchant ma
rine even by this method without
danger of foreign complications. l
should favor it. But simply because
we have been shortsighted in the past
it is doubtful wisdom for us now for
the sake of some commercial or trade
advantage to take steps that might
involve us in the world struggle now
IN in ELope, We shonid proceed at
once to build a merchant marine on
safe and sound lines by a system of
government aid and protection which
is in keeping with the protection idea
of the Republican party.
United Action.
Two years ago the Democrats came
to power, not upon the strength Of
their contention, but because of an
unfortunate division in our own ranks.
A few months of Democratic admins
trati0m was sufficient to concentrate
interest OF all Republicans against the
common enemy, and the elections of
last year showed evidence of q united
action. That conSummatiOn has al
ready been made i'll the rank and file.
Whatever Icy have been our differ
encLs III lG!Mor matters in 1912 and
however bitter may have been certain
leaders one against the ether. the
voters are together. No thoughtful
political st, dent can ignore the sig
nilcance of recent elections.