The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-05
A PROPOSED KEYNOTE.
The Republican Party's Duty and
Opportunity.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN--Sir: The
Republicans in Congress have ac-
complished much that is commend
able, though II is largely Of a mega
tive character; and they are now
achieving a valuable success of that
kind in connection with the ship
purchase bill of the trouble buyers.
But the time has long been ripe for
the Republican leaders in and out of
Congress to assume an aggressive at
titude, strike their keynote for 1916
with the spirit and vigor with which
Ivanhoe smote the shield of the Tenn
plar, and keep pounding away at II
until victory rewards their efforts, as
II Is sure to do II this course is fol-
lowed
II seems hardly necessary to say
that their sword and spear, shield and
buckler, breastplate and helm in one
must be that which Is fundamental; in
other words. the tariff. They should
proclaim and keep proclaiming from
the housetops that their candidate for
the Presidency IL elected will lmme-
diately call Congress together in extra
session for the purpose Of reenGcting
the Payne Aldrich tariff law without
avoidable delay or the change OF a
punctuation mark, leaving for the flu
ture all decreases or increases in its
rates. additions to or removals from
its free list and hearings and delib-
erations in connection Herewith.
The Republican candidate should he
pledged to issue his call for the as
semblage OF Congress as soon as he
returns to the White House after his
induction into office.
Who can describe the impotence
with which all Americans. OF whatever
former party connection, who have
been ruined or injured by the present
Democratic tariff are looking forward
to deliverance? Its effects are COM
parable to those OF war or pestllence.
The voters would see in a promise of
prompt relief a star of hope and would
pin their faith to the party making
1t. OF all the failures and criminal
mistakes of the party in power. and 1t
has failed, and failed absolutely, in
almost everything, its tariff Is the
worst. Among disasters 1t is a catas-
trophe.
Efforts to shift the blame TO the war
deceive nobody. The best judges Of
business problems are publicly eN-
pressing the opinion that but for the
European conflict our situation would
be worse than 1t is.
The sugar industry, an ideal pro-
Queer OF customs revenue, is facing
ruin. Parts Of Louisiana are repre-
scented as already laid waste by the
.Is.s
the Underwood law. Hawaii is eX-
periencing the depression. Tho beet
sugar business Is beginning to he
seriously affected. The great woollen
industry was going from bad to worse
until partly revived by the war. The
passing Of the dividend on its com
mon stock by the United States Steel
Corporation was due TO the tariff as
much as to the war. Experts have
stated that selling prices and cost
of production in the steel business are
50 close together one could not pass
a sheet OF paper between them.
There was deliberate, almost
avowed. intention on the part of many
Democratic tariff thinkers to injure
certain great American enterprises
OF their speeches.
Relief from these conditions at the
earliest possible moment in what II
vast majority OF the people of this
country are eagerly demanding
Hence immediate action without any
Of the delays involved in framing a
new tariff law Is what is necessary
The prompt reenaCtment of the
Payne-Aldrich law, which was a rea-
sonably satisfactory promoter Of pros
perity, seems the best IL not the only
means Of attaining this object.
All the United States needs Is an
other Mckinley. and there will be a
very general effort In 1916 to choose
as good a substitute az can be found
WASHINGTON, February 4. -