New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-16

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: have Just finished reading your ed
torial "Come East, Young West and am
compelled to ask you to go one step further
and be more definite. Much that you say OF
the Republican party and it's leadership is
sound. but is It not going too far to imply
that there is no room for sound conservatism
in our politicsl
1t is possible to eonstrue your editorial as
an invitation to new leaders to displace the
old and, as you believe, discredited leaders
Of Republicanism In the Eastern states. Ad-
hitting for the sake Of argument that 1t
would be a beneficial change, 1t Is difficult to
see that 1t would be more than new ma
chine possibly we should call IL "organiza-
tion") taking the place Of the old. But
do not construs your editorial to mean a
minor change of this character. Presumably
you would welcome adoption Of the PRO
gressive" ideas Of the West in place Of our
old-fashioned conservatism. II that is your
position, am curious to learn what, in par
ticulsr you would recommend Eastern Re-
pubicans to take up.
Leu US tAdIniHe the sO-Chlltu lOBItSoNu
ideas.
First is the so-called "Iows Idea" upon
which Senator Cummins rose to fame. That
as | remember was a condemnation OF the
Republican tariff policy and movement
toward low tariff. Is your paper to be UNI
derstood as advocating q low tariff policy
in future7 II SO what is the matter with
the present schedules under the Underwood
act?
Then we have the later progressivism Of
many Of the Western politicians. Most Of
these ideas have been borrowed from Mr..
Bryan without the courtesy Of recognition.
Among these might be mentioned the intia-
tive, referendum and recall. Does your paper
advocate these? Do you advocate the popular
recall OF judicial decisions, which is the
amendment of the Constitution by the vote
of the mob?
Are you prepared TO advocate destruction
Of private property under the thinly yelled
guse OF graduated income and inheritance
taxes? The power to tax is the power to
destroy, and the votes OF those whose interest
it might be to destroy far outnumber those
who have property rights to be destroyed.
II Is always easy 10 incte the mob to ap-
propriste the property OF the minority, and
history has yet to record the instance Of their
refraining from spollation once they were
shown the way and their passions and greed
thoroughly aroused. Are you going to wave
the banner at the head of this procession :?
Perhaps you are going TO JOIN those like
Mr.. Record and Mr.. Osborne in New Jersey,
who advocate the single tax and government
ownership Of utilities. They are the type Of
leaders with whom the Western Republicans
seem to feel klnship.
/ am not writing In criticism Of your ed
torial, but merely with a view TO finding out
what you mean. I am In agreement with
you that the Republican party cannot exist
half progressive and half reactionary. I am
not sure that a good result might not be the
elimination Of the Republican party altogeth-
err Only In that way would II seem possible
to hope that the South might cease to vote
on nm issue which has been dead and buried
for fifty years. But II your idea Is that con-
servatism Is to be thrown TO the winds and
an effort made TO out-Wilson Wilson and out
Bryan Bryan In their endeavors 20 stir class
hatred for their political advantage, ! can
not follow you. I hope that this Is not the
meaning Of your editorial. F. B.
New York, Nov. IA, 1915