The Washington herald., 1916-09-02
MIR. Fairbanks Talks on Tariff.

The speech OF Charles w. Fairbanks at In
dianapolis Thursday, formally accepting the Re
publican nomination for the Vice Presidency has
not received the serious notice it deserves Be-
cause the whole nation had its eyes fixed upon
Washington. watching developments in the strike
situation the newspapers a whole gave the
speech only fraction OF the space it would have
received under normal conditions
However, Mr.. Fairbanks delivered an address
that will be taken up by journals devoted to the
business interests of the nation and the business
men who have not read the speech in full will have
ample opportunity to do so. 1t was an address
that cannot be ignored and the wisdom expounded
by Mr.. Fairbanks will have very important ef-
feet in the campaign.
Mr.. Fairbanks devoted some Of his words to
the administrators Mexican policy Democratic
extravaganza, Amercansm, merchant marine and
other issues. But he gave the bulk OF his at
tenon to the tariff issue and he treated the sub
ject with directness and emphasis that have been
| lacking in most of the Republican campaign
speeches, He is plain American business man
with much practical experience and he knows
how to treat a business subject in the way that
business want it treated
His words did not sound like the words Of a
politician. He talked like business man
analyzing a business problem that must be met
His plea for the Republican party as a party that
will maintain prosperity and his denunciation of
the Underwood tariff were so combined as to be
very convincing. In of the issues of the
campaign there may be some confusion, but on
the tariff the parties split and Mr.. Fairbanks has
exhibited excellent judgment in bringing the
tariff issue to the front.
He believes that the hundreds Of thousands Of
men who were thrown out Of work in this coun-
try before the war and the thousands Of business
men who were laying awake nights from worry
Will remember the dark days before Europe
called Tor munitions and he seems confident that
the men will not vote for return to power of the
! Democratic party
The Democratic party came into power
through an unhappy division within our own
ranks" said Mr.. Fairbanks at represented mi
norlty Of the people, and does not today hold a
commission from the majority. When invested
with power it Immediately set TO work to force
down the throats Of the majority policies to
which they were and have since been opposed
j Democracy stands, it has stubbornly stood
for many years. for free trade or revenue tariff
while the Republican party stands, as it has al
ways Loyalty stood, for the great doctrine of
American protection Our future industrial pros
pcrity depends upon our choice between the two
!. in the pending campaign
What protection and free trade mean we
know from actual experience; they are not in the
! domain of the academic
|. The present free trade or tariff for revenue
law, which Democracy regards with such high
I favor, has worked infinite damage This law,
which is to be maintained if Democracy triumphs.
must stand or fall not by what Democratic con-
Ventons say Of it, but by what it has said for
itself under normal trade conditions"