Omaha daily bee., 1915-10-29
ESTABROOK MAKES
PLEA FOR BUSINESS
New York Paper Discusses Relation
of Politics to Prosperity in Ad-
dress to the Bankers.
FROM STANDPOINT OF PARTISAN

Henry d. Estabrook last night
spoke to the bankers of Nebraska ON
Business and Politics." He talked
from the standpoint of a partisan
and delivered telling speech. Seven
hundred bankers were seated at the
Fontenelle for the address.
He delivered a defense of the con-
stitution of the United States and
criticised those who under the guise
of progresslves said the instrument
was but means to satisfy the greed
of our forefathers. He said:
when President Wilson stalked into
office over pons asinorum built by his
opponents, he entered upon his duties
with q popular feeling for him made up
of curiosity and respect He was the
only schoolmaster who had ever stepped
from a classroom over. a. state capital
and into the White House. Curiosity
was justified. So, too, was respect, for
his mental strength was conceded. and
no one doubted his loyalty OF purpose.
Thousands of republicans had voted for
him for one reason or another-princi-
pdlly OnS-dnu Wlbncu MN WCbs ~ DC
sure, no republican reared in the school
OF Hamilton could regard hopefully a
program that challenged every article
of his faith. But he could at least be
: tolerant and even admit to himself that
possibly Wilson knew more than Hamil-
| ton. He was willing to be shown. He
was from Missouri. His attitude was
one of watchful waiting; 1t has since
2 Et.tta fotI n
president himself never doubted for a
moment the validity of his credenda-
He assumed from the start all respon-
sibility for the accomplishments of his
program. and is undoubtedly entitled
! to all the credit for whatever has thus
far been achieved under 1t. He allowed
no brother near the throne-but was
somewhat partial to his Seven Sisters.
When your political dilettante comes
into power. he is oriental in his despot-
ism, and this has been so from the be-
ginning of time. You would say off
hand that It was a moral duty and an
obvious necessity that a president OF
the United States should call to his
aid men wiser and better informed than
himself on special subjects. and that he
should solicit their instruction and weigh
carefully their suggestions. l am credi-
bly, informed that Mr.. Wilson has vir-
tually dispensed with cabinet meetings
though really. when you come to think
OF It. he may be justified in 50 doing
Ordinarily one would suppose that q
man. whatever his scholarship, should
know the syntax Of business before he
undertakes TO parse II. Mr.. Wilson dis
claims any practical knowledge of bust
ness. but deems himself for this very
reason, all the better qualified to dea
! with it impartially and aloof. II leaves
him at liberty to work out certain
arabesques of hypothesis untrammelet
, by prejudices begotten Of experience.
Wilson'S Tariff Theory.
''It Is a theory OF Mr.. Wilson. and O
his party, might add. that tariffs shoul
be reduced substantially 10 a free-trad
; basis; and under his manipulation thl
has been done. We still have intact IN
costly machinery for the collection Q
imposts, but these no longer amount I
J. much.
TT takes a billion dollars a year I
o pay the upkeep OF our government. Thi
0 money must be raised by some scheme {
= taxation. Why not. as far as possible
. by imposts7 Mr.. Bryan would answe
Q because. first. a tariff is a wicked Ia
q per Sc, in that It taxes the inalienabl
o right OF citizen to buy where he like
y that Is 10 say. his inalienable right I
q buy Of aliens; and second. because n
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