New-York tribune., 1916-02-16
Insulted by Germany
and Dupe of Mex
iCan MurdererS.
EMPTY THREATS
WON CONTEMPT
Ex-senator Root Warns
of Nations Weakness
and Industrial Peril.

Rost delivered at last nights session
ot the Republican State Convention at
Carnegie Hall was as follows;
I'VE are entering upon q contest for
the election Of PRESIDENT any wv
control Of government under eohulti0hs
essentially new In the experience %
our party and OF our country ~.
Sor-,s snd methods which we are about
~ foilow are ola and familiar; but the
erornSs for action, the demand OF
s-reat events for decision upon nationsi
Conduct. the moral forces urging 70
solution Of vaguely outlined questions
.ba tremendous consequences OF WIS
DOM or folly in national poiiey-slii
,bese are new TO the great mass OF
American voters now living. Never
s;nre 1854 has an election been fraught
With consequences so vital TO nationsI
life. All the ordinary consioersLlohs
which play so great part IN our fres-
identisl campaigns are and ought 10 oe
dv,arfed into insignihcance.
"For tjhe first time in twenty years
ve enter the field as the party OF oppo-
sition. and indeed il is much longer
,ine. FOR In 1896, in all respects save
the tariff. the real opposition 70 the
sturdy and patriotic course OF fres'-
dent Cleveland was 10 be found In the
party that followed Mr.. Bryan. IL Is
our duty as the opposition 10 orihg 'le
Democratic party 20 the bar OF puDlie
judgment, 70 put Il upon Its defence SO
FAR as we see just and suoslahVl",
grounds TO criticise its conduct anu
10 ask the voters OF the country 10 ue-
eide whether that party organized Hs
il is, represented as It has been sihIe
il came into power, has SHOWN l'seit
competent 10 govern the country "s y
should be governed, and whether its
snirit its nolicies and its performance
ara the best that the American people
can do In the way Of popular se!t-goV-
crnment.
Expenditures Increased.
"In the field of domestic affairs some
facts relevant to these questions had
ALREADY been ascertained when IN Au-
gust, 1914, the great European war
began. During the year and hall OF
Democratic control Of government IN
period Of profound peace there mad
been steady decrease IN American
production, in exports and IN revenues
and a steady increase in imports and
expenditures. Enterprise had halted.
New undertakings no longer made
thoir appearance. Established business
ceased 10 increase its facilities or en-
large its fields of action. =
"The great productive industries OF
the country, the farmer. the miner, tie
lumberman, the manufacturer, we're IA
boring under Il misft tarf devised ny
the Democratic party ~ spirit OF
suspicion, distrust and hostility toward
American business enterprise; ard,
with the disturbance OF thes. great
basic industries, transportation ana
commerce had become dull and de-
spondent The Democratic tarih hhd
been framed upon an avowed repun'a-
ton Of all protection. however moder-
ate and reasonable; and because all
protection was repudia;ed practically
all information from competent wit
nesses as 10 the effect new provisions
would have upon business was re-
jected.
"Ths tariff commission created IN
der Republican legislation 10 ascertain
the facts upon which tariff law should
be based was driven out of Office and
no substitute WAS provided. with self
satisfied complacCncy the DEMOCRATIC
Congress assumed that the theory OF
a tariff for revenue only was sstis-
factory substitute for knowledge Of
business conditions in the framing OF
d customs law, and they made tariff
which stopped the Development OF
business along all the great lines OF
production and also failed 10 produce
revenue. The men who represented
the Democratic party IN Washington
had been so long declaiming against
those whom they considered the bene-
hcisries Of the protective tariff that
their hostility extended 10 Amerlcen
business itself and to the men who
conducted IL. All profitable enterprise
was under suspicion. Government had
no sympathy with IL. no desire 20 pro-
mote it, no sense OF responsibility 70
protect IT, There WAS O nervous dread
lest somebody should make money.
Envy Of business success and the
phrases of the demagogue were potent
clements in the framing Of legislation
and the administration Of the laws.
"It was with just cause that the on
terpriss Of the country halted, tlmid
and irresolute. because IL felt and
feared the hostility Of government
The Great War has not changed the
lesson which We had already learned
when y began. IL has hut obscured
further demonstration. II has caused
an enormous demand for some things
which the United States is able 20 pro
duce In large quantities. and in these
lines OF production. while other indus
tries still lsngpish. there have been
extensive employment Of labor, great
exports and great influx of money.
But this rs temporary, II must soon
cease, and when the factories have
stopped and their laborers are no
longer employed VIC must deal with n
situation for which wise forethought
should make provision.
WarnS = Nav Reconn