New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-15
BARNES STILL HAS POWER
A Factor in Republican National
Committee and Can't Be Removed.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: May | ask sufficient of your space "a
publish the following comment on your edi-
toriel of this morning, "In the Matter of Mr.
Blrnes," and the letter published on the same
rage from Mr. George r. Bishop?
| am a constant reader of your paper, and
have been most favorably impressed with the
very courageous, straightforward policy you
are pursuing in regard to the shortcomings
81 the present Republican organization in this
state | cannot help but feel that your course
in this respect will have a very far-reaching
and beneficial effect on the minds of the
young oncoming voters. You say that Mr.
Barnes has made his effort to thwart, to re-
tard. to destroy all efforts at progress" and
that happily the jury at Syracuse were able
to complete the picture, and that he is closing
an interesting and instructive public career. y
Doubtless the jury at Syracuse completed the
picture so far as public opinion is concerned
but may call your attention to the fact that
Nv Barnes is at this moment the Republican
National Committeeman from the State OF
New York? This important Office he is IA
hold until after the next Republican National
Convention. | know of but two ways by
which ne can be separated from this office be-
tore the great political struggle of 1916 takes
place. One of these ways will be for him TO
resign. Do you or does any one else in the
state believe Mr.. Barnes will resign this i'm
portant office, with all the power that goes
with it? Second, for the present Legislature
TO lcgislate Mr.. Barnes out of Office next win
ter. Do you or does anybody else, believe
that this Legislature will do any such thing
granted that it has the power? OF course,
neither one of these two events will occur
We are told that there is a third way, viz,
for the Progressives to return to the Republi-
can party in this state and then call on Mr.
Barnes and demand his resignation. We have
been recently told by two or three Progress
sves that this was the thing to do, and that
il could be done. II laughter produces good
digestion | can think of nothing that would
more effectually promote Mr.. Barnes's diges-
tion than such programme as this.
The great issues before this country to-day
are national and international issues. The
elections of this fall are unimportant com
pared to getting ready for the struggle OF
next year. No man can tell at this time what
the issues of next year will be, but of one
ISSUE we can be certain, viz, the tariff. In
my judgment, we cannot even wait for next
year TO make a determined effort TO have our
PRESENT tariff readjusted. With the close o.
this war we are bound to be confronted With
serious industrial depression unless some
thing is done to change the present tariff
r4eanwhile The one immediate way that tn $
can be done is by all uniting, regardless o!
ra~ty affiliations, in an effort TO secure the
creation next winter of a non-partisan, SCI
entiic, permanent tariff commission. 1t mat
tiers not that the Democratic party is in power
and would have TO do this. The question Is
to- serious TO give any consideration what
ever as to who does it, The thing is to get L
Done and get it done at once.
Mr. Bishop, in his letter which you publish
this morning assails me for not being fan
with Mr. Taft, saying that he was for tariff
commission during his administration Mr.
Bishop does not say what became of Mr. Taft's
tariff commission idea. Permit me to tell him
that 1t went where Mr.. Taft's promise in re.
gard to the trust question and the tariff ques-