Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-12-22
Wednesday, December %, 1915.
In Answer to NV. p. A."

municatiOn emDOdylnS CHdileHSe,
from our old friend wv. P. A." who
writes frequently for our readers.
Probably most Of our readers who are
interested in the Letter Box recognize
in wv. P. A." the respected Halloweil
philosopher, w. p. Atherton, who
raises good apples at the same time he
tries to raise a storm with the editor.
We refuse to quarrel with him; WE
are too old. Sometimes we wish we
could be as young in spirit as our
friend Anterior who tops us few
years in apple picking and other earth
ly activities: but in considering his
own keen logic and desires he seems
to have forgotten that the kennebec
Journal lists are made up of men and
women Of all ages and tastes. He
apparently forgets that we have a
has not enjoyed his wide experience
or splendid grasp of affairs. The
tariff. prohibition, and other great
questions live because new genera
tons are entering the activities of
state and nation every day, and to
them the older generations owe all the
information and object lessons at their
command.
The tariff, prohibition, and other
great issues are living questions I'M
til they are settled and settled
RIGHT.
They live today, like all Of Gods
problems for US, because they have
NOT been settled right
Because we are tired of repeating
old truths. shall we neglect our duty
to the young and to those who have
only now become able to see?
Our friend is safe from the false
logic of the free trader; he has seen
the Democratic pretense demonstrated
again and again and knows that it has
always failed-would he have the
kennebec Journal talk about the
weather and allow young men who
are looking for information to be mis-
led? Does not our friend consider it
the EDITORS part. his real mission, to
give as he is given to those who are
looking for facts and interpretations?
wv. P. A" is tired of the tariff dis
inf inn,
that we enter daily into the discussion
because we prefer it To going to the
movies" or reading modern fiction.
We write. and write, and hunt for
facts and figures, and analyze sitlta-
tons. and study conditions-and write
all because we believe we should
fail in our duty if we allowed the con-
tinuous flow of sophistries by OPP
portunists, political sharpers and COM
mercial vultures, to so unanswered.
Our friend. at least once in his life
was saved from temptation by tenn
perance ideas instilled into his boyish
head" Would he have us abandon
the boys Of today to the damnable
deceit of the liquor interests that bride
and demoraliZe the press and send
their literature into the most sacred
places? Does he think we should hold
our peace and let the booze advcr
tiser and cunning statesmen lead our
innocent or unthinking to take steps
they cannot retraceo
In answer to his challenge let US
say that if our friend can agree that
his commission shall be above politics
and come into official existence except
from political preference, then we
shall agree that tariff commission
would take this everlasting issue"
out of politics. But can he guarantee
that, or expect it?
In the first place. would our re-
spected friend have the non parti-
san" tariff commission named by
Woodrow Wilson, or by the log-roll-
ing. or caucus methods Of parties in
Congress? Or would he have the
commission named by election? And.
if so, could he expect to be fortunate
in every selection?
Many people talk interestingly-and
more or less unthinkingly-about a
tariff commission to take the tariff
out of politics." But they have in
their minds eye, the United States
Supreme Court. We are convinced
that tariff commission, unbiased in
politics. skilled in national affairs, OBJ
sessed with the needs of the American
People, loaded with means of meeting
every reaching situation. and with
hearts filled with patriotism, would be
ideal. Business interests, labor and
industry could safely leave the pro-
lection of the American standard of
living in the hands Of such men. a
load would be taken from the legisla-
tive and executive branches of our
government.
But WHERE ARE THE MEN?