The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-03-06
TWO YEARS OF WILSON.

One half OF the Wilson administra.
ton expired on March the fourth and
although the country has survived the
ordeal 1t must be admitted that It has
had hard struggle and that 1t has
left business in very frazzled coudi.
ton. During the greater part of this
half term congress has been in almost
continuous session, having only rested
since April Is, 1913 long enough to
let the spell binders go back home
for the campaign last fall.
Three things stand out conspicu,
ously as the achievements OF this ad.
ministration, and they are the pass.
age OF the Underwood tariff bill, the
currency law and the establishment
OF an unheard of record of extraya,
gance In the expenditure OF the PEG.
ple's money.
The Underwood bill was passed as
redemption of platform pledge and
credit must be given the administra,
ton in keeping this promise, although
many more pledges, just as vocefer.
ously vouchsafed have been ignored
and some openly and shamefully re.
pudiated by the administration. The
Underwood tariff law has failed woe.
fully to do for the country what Its
sponsors promised 1t would do, that
is, improve business conditions and
bring down the high cost OF living.
The only reason we have been saved
from an industrial panic has been
that the breaking out OF the Europ.
can war has saved this country from
the flooding of the country with
European made goods under the very
low wage scale Of that country, and
the fact that our imports TO supply
the warning countries have very meas.
urably increased It Is now possible
that n Republican congress will be
elected to repeal the Underwood law
before the war ends which will save
the country from the absolute destruc-
ton of its industrial enterprises.
The new banking law may not be
SO bad but its good effects, II 1t has
any to offer, have not yet been felt
In financial circles. Bank failures
continue to follow each other with
systematic Democratic regularity and
the flexibility of the currency has not
been go noticeable that 1t has
stretched out to the extent Of serving
as life line to perrishing business,
neither has it been SO broadened in
It's scope as to cover up the damage
done by the iniquitious tariff tinker
Ing.
The other notable feature OF the
Wilson administration is the wanton
extravaganza and the imposition of
war tax and other revenue measures
to meet the growing deficit in the
treasury. AS soon as additional reven.
ue Is provided for, 1t seems that, an
army of revenue inspectors, collectors
and other federal office holders have
been sent among an impoverished
people, like a swarm Of hungry To-
Gusts, to eat up the money as fast as
1t is collected. The cry has been for
more and more revenue and in spite
OF the solemn pledge for economy we
find that the appropriations Of the
last congress have exceeded those of
all history, and this in the face OF the
warning OF the Democratic leaders
in congress who said that the need
less waste Of money must be stopped
or the Democratic party will be
brought to the bar Of judgment where
the votes OF the people will seal its
doom.
The thing to now be considered Is,
will the business OF the country be
able to brace itself and stand up for
the next two years under the burdens
that have been placed upon its shout.
ders? Will the faith in the belief,
which now is almost equivalent to
positive knowledge, that the policies
of the Republican party will be re.
stored in 1916, be sufficient to sus-
tain it till the end of the crisis, or
will business surrender under the un-
even odds and start all over again
after the verdict OF public condemna.
ton has been passed upon the Demo
crotic administration at the polls in
November, 1916.
It is to be hoped that business will
be able to keep its head .above water
until the life preserver, of adequate
protection is thrown to 1t, upon which
1t may safely push its way back to
the abara ~ ,roe1arftxy