The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-24
ROOSEVELT AND THE ISSUE.

est and most ably edited of the news
papers of the country, recently printed
an ditorial that is extremely signifi-
cant in view of its source. Contrary
to the suggestion conveyed in its name,
the Christian Science Monitor devotes
the bulk of it's energy, not to the pro-
mulgaldon of the Christian Science
faith tWt to the gathering and pre-
sentatitpn of the news of the nation
and the. world with forceful and dis
corning editorial comment thereon. 1t
has newer yet been charged with any
thing that might SAVIOR of partisan
ship in olitics. so when it makes edi-
torial comment on men and issues in
that realm attention is invited. The
editorial in question follows:
"If there were no European or
Mexican complications; if only do
nestle ana economic questions were
| demanding attention at this time, or
4 were likely to continue to monopolize
| discussion largely in the immediate fu-
ture; then, without a doubt, the issue
of the comi.a g presidential campaign
would be the tariff. In such tenn
porary reliefss from external influences
as the country has experienced during
the last tweIuy months, in such lulls
as have sootbted its people with pleas
| ing but illusory assurances of immun-
ity from foreign entanglements,' the
/ Republican party has invariably
turned to the tariff as the issue upon
which it must win or lose in 1916. No
other domestic issue has competed
with it; no other purely domestic issue
| can compare with it in Importance.
Nothing bat an international, a world
issue. could win precedence over it or
brush it betck to second place. This
has been the position of the Repub
lican party and its leaders.
1.-The opponents of the Wilson ad-
ministration have been preparing,
since the dsry of its enactment, to
prove that the Underwood tariff law
is essentially an act that. if given free
rein, must make for the destruction
of the trade and commerce of the
United States, and, even before the
outbreak of the war, they were well
primed with testimony which they
confidently believed would support
their contention. They have mar
shaled by this time, it is well under
stood, evidence, regarded by them as
conclusive intended to show that the
outbreak of the war alone prevented
or postponed, the great industrial and
/ financial panic in the history of the
country 1t had, they claim, already
set in: it was beginning to frighten
capital, to close factories, to throw
labor out of employment, when the
European Cataclysm checked and re-
versed the natural course of events.
Theodore Roosevelt is not identi-
fled with the tariff in American pol
itics. He came into national promi-
nence during the first administration
: of William Mckinley, whose identity
could not, during the period of his
activity, and cannot even now, be
considered apart from the tariff The
5 tariff was in the hands of a master
craftsman in the art of protection, and
l there Theodore Roosevelt was content
| to let it remain. He busted himself
with the Spanish war, he became gov
ernor of New York. he became vice
S president of the United States, he sue
L ceeded to the presidency; he was con-
s tent, through the unexpired Mckinley
t term, to carry out the policies of his
t predecessor. When in his own term
j he took a stand for himself, all the
s force, vgor, aggressiveness of his
e character were thrown against pre-
a datory wealth, powerful wrongdoers,
= despoilers of natural resources, Illegal
and harmful combinations, a cor
rupted and perverted judiciary, or
0 ganized plumber in politics. He had
: no time, during those strenuous four
s years, to give to the tariff. 1t was
e not necessary that he should pay at
n tention to it. The Dingley schedules
IS adopted when Mckinley succeeded
n Cleveland, were on the statute books
i and were able to take care of them
# selves.
= eff Theodore Roosevelt should be
J. nominated in June and elected IN
e November, the tariff problem would
= be presented to him as president fol
l. the first time The Republican party
naturally. has been curious TO learn hi.
IS views with regard to tariff matters
n Nearly all the other avowed aspirant.
is to the presidency, on the Republican
IS side, have committed themselves t,
- protection; most of them. and tn
IS friends of most of them, have declared
IL that the tariff must be the issue o
II the campaign. In a statement givel
r out at oyster Bay, within the last few
in days, he takes opposite view, say
" ing, UNLESS we return to protective
3 tariff. preferably administered
through commission of experts, W,
shall face widespread economic dis
lie aster at the end of this war. But thi
re is not the great issue on which tn
is fight is to be made if the highes
re service is to be rendered the Amer
Tx lean people.
20 What is it, then? First and fore
ne most. national honor. This is a spir
cd ituaI thing in Colonel Roosevelts opin
ii ~ r. ,,,,,-+ 1,a The o,,.sr-o,,,.t, - a.,
IS 5;-..a,., -. 80 =. ya.-,.s,,.I -.
citizensbin n, a nation that rIaoeS snir