Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-23
THE PLAN TO ENCOURAGE
SOUP HOUSES


are sincere opponents OF pro-
tectionism In all its forms America
cannot keep her people and their ma
chlnery busy without worldwide trade;
and she cannot win worldwide trade
without abandoning protectionism.
In all probability. tho gravest Of all
the Issues 10 be determined
IL this; Shall tho country relapse into
tho delusive policy misnamed protec-
tlon. or continue to advance toward
tariff for revenue only7-Charlcs W.
Eliot, In defense of Wilson.
UNLESS all signs fail this great
~ dividing issue Of protection versus
free trade is likely to absorb the atten-
ton Of the political speakers for the re-
mainder of athe campaign. Republican
leaders were saying last week that the
issues growing out Of the war, while Inn
portant, were not those on which the
election was to be decided. and that pro.
lection was the question which would
loom large for the next fortnight.
The Democrats have been trying TO
hide their free trade sentiments. They
have been following the Presidents lead
in saying that the Republicans were so
hard put to IL that they were compelled
to fall back on their "outworn and thread
bare arguments" in support of a protec-
tive tariff. We have been told that we
should support Mr.. Wilson because he
has kept us out Of war, because he can
make charming addresses, because he has
the courage to reverse himself when he
discovers he is wrong, and because he
has been able TO lead Congress about as
II II were a tame poodle ready to jump
through the Circus hoop at his command.
But hardly a whisper has been hitherto
uttered about tariff for revenue and
the unconstitutionality of the protective
policy.
Doctor Eliot has torn all this pretense
aside and has boldly proc aimed the
primacy of the free trade issue. He ad
mits that Mr.. Wilson has made grievous
blunders in Mexico and in dealing with
the railroad crisis. Yet in spite of these
blunders he would have us think that
Mr.. Wilson should be reelected because
the Importance Of destroying the protec-
tive tariff is so great that all other ques-
tions must be regarded as secondary. He
would have us believe that the only way
to keep our people employed and our
idClOTitb lS 10 TeuuCe lfe uutleS
in the Underwood law still further. to
enlarge the free list, and to open our
markets to the products of the rest
OF the world. He Is only little bolder
than his fellow Democrats in proclaim.
ing his opinions. The rest Of them agree
with him. Mr.. Wilson is the same kind
OF an academic theorist and is committed
20 the same economic heresies that are
popular with men who, like Doctor Eliot,
have had no business experience of com
petitive sort.
II they have their way the conditions
that produced business stagnation follow
ing the passage of the Underwood law
will be restored as soon as the war ends
and the wall of protection accidentally
reared around us is removed. Indeed,
the probabilities are that the stagnatlon
would be worse because OF the threat to
do away with every protective duty as
fast as possible.
1t As inconceivable that the voters can
be deluded into approving any such de-
structive doctrine. The workers who were
idle or employed on part time two years
ago. before the war prosperity began, are
not likely to be attracted to the party
which promises TO strike still heavier
blow at American industry II IL is re-
turned 10 power