Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-11
WHAT'S WHAT IN THE CRISIS

WHAI, > WHAT IN The ChlSlS
m IERE is a conspiracy for the per-
L petuation of illisionment under way
in Washington The bald. stripped evil
dence of 1t is the pending revenue bill.
Democrats may tell the people that
existing prosperity is only in part due
to the war and will continue under the
Underwood bill after the war but Demo.
Gratis do not believe any such fallacy as
that They know in what this war had
its origin they know that the power and
glory and the might of nations in this
era are In its merchant ships. that trade
is the grand prize in the lottery of effort,
and they know that the returning legions,
urged on by the vast debt which has been
plastered to their necks, will throw into
their trade campaigns all of the bril-
liancy initiative, skill and efficiency to
which they have become accustomed on
the battlefield They know that this is
the land of the Golden Fleece, with milk
and honey blessed. and they know that
toward this rich field the eyes of all
Europe will be turned.
These things the Democrats know. Thev
fear the future So, while they continue
to shout the glory of Democratic princt
pies from the housetops in the halls of
| Congress they initiate and sanction a tar
| if provision along protective lines, seek
ing in practice to achieve by Republican
methods the thing they realize they could
| never get under Democratic theory.
1t Is good thing that these men are
not so blind as to ignore the handwriting
on the wall. 1t is good thing that they
are willing to give the country any pro.
lection at all. But In the name of all the
patriots why keep in power a party that
takes "A protective tariff as a boy does
quinine, yelling at the same time that
there is nothing the matter? a Demo-
crat cannot write protective tariff any |
better than Republican can write free. |
trade tariff, and that is something no |
Republican has ever tried to do.
Long since the theory of a tariff for
revenue only has been abandoned. True,
the remuneration has been subtle, but 1t
has been real just the same We had
reached a point where a tariff capable
of producing sufficient revenue could not
be anything but protective tariff, Incl.
dentally protective, it is true, but thor.
oughly protective. In this dilemma, the
Democracy simply foisted on the country
the income tax, which it is preparing to
double. 1t changed the proportions and
reduced the percentage of the whole reve.
nue. the tariff was assumed TO furnish. A
tariff for revenue only would in fact today
be very he'.vy protective tariff, if 1t
furnished the proportion of the whole
revenue which import duties usually did
furnish until this Democratic dispensation
came into being.
The Allies have concluded among them.
selves a trade agreement New economic
frontiers and outposts are being placed
The protection of trade Is no longer
debatable question. 1t has been lifted
by fact out of the arena of controversy.
The protection which England has for
years enjoyed through her control of
ocean freight rates is added to and in
creased by this supplementary agreement
among the Allies. There is for us a
ceaseess summons to make ready,
standing challenge to make good. The
nation is confronted with a crisis in its
history, and economic wars are
quite as disastrous and ruinous as mill
tary wars.
To retain in power Democrats whose ,
spirit Is not for protection, men who Will
have it at all only because they must
have it, would be to trihe with the pros
perity of the country and flirt with the
soup houses. The American publcs
mouth does not water for that kind of
food. The people may be hesitant about
military preparedness but they are never
hesitant in economic preparedness on a
vast scale. Nor are they easily fooled, de
spite the evident belief of the Administra.
ton that a lamb in lions skin is the
same thing as a lion.
Mr. Hughes has the great privilege and 5
duty of arousng the nation to sense
Of the danger which menaces He will
do So we believe, as effectively as Mr.
did in 1896, for the situation is 4
less perilous than 1t then was ;,
1t is in fact, more perilous because the a
effort to repudiate American enterprise p
and industrial stability is not SO apparent o
and war prosperity has dulIed the per- 1.
,eptions of thousands of citizens who or 7
iinarily have no difficulty in knowing the "
right road !