The Alaska citizen., 1916-01-17

war and our horror of it become somewhat less vivid. The glory ot having kept his country out of tn" struggle loses some of it's lustr" hH mere familiarity As a politician looking forward to an election which is even now more than eleven months off Mr. Wilson could not help rr- necting that this immense poru larity of his might wane.
 Both the Republican and Pr2G:1 sive leaders. being iA opPo% ti'n had to attarK him Had his po,ic' been pelliCoSe. they would have yauntcl the blessings of pea Q. how ever it might go against the grain of their inclinations. Since h' ha7 chosen an unwarlike policy, 1t was their cue to beat the tom-tom and lead the war dance. to reproach him with '' ~imity to Ciamor for a strong national policy" and so forth aud, assuredly, the role suits then. much better. As the popular euthu am ot s"tf-c"ngratulation over our escape from embodiment in this war subsided into a mild ra 1.'I,ual emotion the opposition tc.m.:. had and were likely to have. ap cen better chance Tor psrnirg criticism Cf the aamlniStra- ton
 IL VAS under these circumstances it socm.. that Wilson. the poliu, elan. got the better ot Wilson. the statesman. Preparedness was the 6attlo.ory of his opponents TEoi! course was settled Ii he should adhere 10 his old position. would he not be at a disadyantaga in the next campaign disadvantage of 2 familiar and apparently negative policy. compared with d nav and positive one? And so he had the cheaply brilliant ida of stealing their thunder. of seeing them and going them better, of becoming him self the champion of preparedness and forcing his critics either to re pudiate their own slogan or else to admit that It was raised only for the purpose of catching votes.
 Incidentally. as others have point, nd out this about face may save
 
 As a Democrat. he stands committed to the policy of tariff for revenue only. The Republicans want pro tective tariff But it is the sub stance they want not the name. Now. if the administration carries through its army and navy program, it must carry through measures to provide the extra hundreds of mil lions. Under the name of d tariff for revenue only it can levy duties heavy enough to be drastically pro tective-and Republican opposition on that score is disarmed, while the Democrac, saves it's face
 Last. but not least, the Democratic party will not lack campaign funds next year. The one industry that is really booming, that can afford 10 pour out money like water i'll order 10 perpetuate it's boom. will not be one-sided in it's demCnstra- tion of public spirit Both parties being pledged to the policy that the Armament Ring wants, the latter will contribute to both parties with equally good grace.
 It remains to be seen whether, after all. the President is really a good politician. It is sometimes true, even in practical politics. that honesty pays best. Will MT. Will sons shift attract enough Republi- can and Progressive votes to bal ance the Democratic votes it drives away Present indications are that his new policy is going to encounter vigorous opposition within his own party By personal influence and the power of patronage he can prob ably force most of the Democratic leaders to bow to his will, both in congress this winter and at next summers convention. But the time is past when the rank and file of either party could be herded like cattle The more pressure is used from above to control the machine, the more voters break their old ties. N Y. Call.