Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1916-08-01
NO REPUBLICAN MONOPOLY

president Wilson was warrante in making something al .cerenoo,y
OF his signing of the RualCredIs bill. The measure is n o. nerfsct T.
may not work as well as is hoped. But it is a piece OF constructive leg
isiatlon which is designed to supply something long and VIGOROUSLY lack
ing in our financial system-something in respect OF which most Other
countries have been far in advance OF The United States. This has been
frankly admitted by III most competent authorities. All political parties
have been declaring for years past that American farmers ought to be able
to set, loans n easier terms. President TAFT took the matter up, and
worked hard to get something done, but failed entirely. 1t remained for
a Democratic administration 10 write this important law Q n the atu
books. Taken with the Federal Reserve act the etabIshment ~ >
Federal Trade commission, the repeal of free-tons at Panama, and the
passage OF several important bills of the class Of the Workingmens
Compensation act and the Child Labor law-the W latter yet to be
aehieved-it makes up a record OF legislation which no Republican ad-
m"nstranon OF recent years came anywhere matching. OF itself
1t constitutes a powerful claim o. President Wilson upon the approval
OF the nation.
We know what Republicans will say of these Democratic laws. So
lar as they are good. it will be asserted that they are OF Republican IN
spiraton. This is especially alleged of the reform OF the currency. 1t
wa begun by the Republicans. And, as the Philadelphia Press ingen-
io"sys SAID some i'm ago, the Democrats are not going o be allowed
to hide their sins behind the e banking law the impetus towards
which and the material upon which it was based zane from Republican
sources Admit all his and still the act stands out that it was the in
competent Democratic party which did for the country what the
supremely efficient Republican party ws totally unable to do.
This is a wholesome thing to bear in mind just al present, for
it is evident that the Republicans will be tempted to go into the can
paign with their old calm assertion that they possess a monopoly of
the political virtue and the political ability OF this country. Mr.. Hughes
himself, in some things he has SAID, appears to lean that wav Now Now
if he begins making speeches along that lne-ahirning that the country
needs great things done for it which only the Republicans have the
W e have referred to. With that he will have to deal fairly, if he wrshes
to retain the respect OF his countrymen. II he elects to attack the Fed
eral Reserve law or the Rural Credits bill, let him do SO squarely, auu
with reasons given. But it will not do for him or any other RepubH-
can orator of editor to argue that the enactments are good, but that
IN party responsible for them is incurably bad. Above all, it will O
do to go up and down the land with the preence that the Republican
party is alone fit to rule that it is a thousand times wiser and mor
effective and purer than its rival.
The fact is otherwise, and is known of all intelligent and fair-mnded
"h !" ~ o"el"S . IL 10 d sHahue IN n insult to onehaH Oft the
voters OF the United States to tell them that they are OF capable OF
banding together in a political party to work for the ends they have IN
common. And it is always a bad sign for a party when its leaders be-
gin to assert for it a monopoly of knowledge and of goodness. This is
a torm OF pride which goeth before destruction. 1t wa a similar naughty
spirit which the Tories OF England affected along in the first years of
this century. Mr. BaHour said n almost 20 many words that it was.
mconcevabe that any party but theirs should be in power. But they
shortly went ut OF power, to stay out ten years. and with n O present
prospect OF returning. And we have not forgotten the kindred AFRO
gance OF Republican leaders in this country-Root and Hay and Roose-
veft-who lauded their party to the skies Is the sole efficient acenr OF
government in the United States, just before it fell int the most
lamentabe ruin that V e overlook a political organization in this Dur
try.
Fight fair, gentlemen! Don't assert that the Democrats ire damned
II they don't and doubly damned if they do. And don't tell u.s., Re
pubEcans, W e implore you, that all the abilities and all the virtues are
safely slowed away in your breeches pocket 1t isn't SC, and YOU know
it, and the whole country knows 1.-THE Nation Und)