New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-26

In those days we wanted TO get about three
hundred and fifty millions Of dollars through
the custom houses. In these days we require
six or seven hundred millions. With Europe
impoverished, her industries dsordered and
her work people depleted, her first activities
after the war bent to replenish her own
reeds, there will scarcely be dangerous COM
petition, il competition az all. It is hkeiler
that both customers and exchanges will 50
fall away that cur manufacturers, seeking
markets and feeling the tariff as an obsJruc-
ton, will clamor for free trade. Meanwhile
the Underwood act has at least struck some
Of the graft out of the tariff.
II.
As If to rub it in on the Democratic plat
form builders, who like the Republican plat
form builders, were thinking more OF votes
than dogmas, and asking one another what
are principles and consistency as among
friends?' The Tribune goes on as follows:
Under the orthodox Democratic theory. which
has ruled in so many Democratic national plat
forms. the foreign manufacturer who sells his
product in our market at under cost ought % be
hailed public benefactor. But he is TO be
treated as an enemy, conspiring against American
welfare. against whom the taxing power may be
used without reference 70 revenue needs. Revenue
may even be sacrificed for the purpose Of excluding
his too cheap and plentiful offerings
This is sound doctrine from our point Of view
But 10 find it in a Democratic national platform
viii be q and sad experience 20 those who have
fought and bled in the ancient fath-who have
worshpped at the altar Of the t4reyed goddess these
many decades past How the mighty fallen
Where the ghosts of Frank Hurd. William r.
Morrison Roger O. Mills. William I. Wilson. John
C. Carlisle and S. S. Cox?
I'VE are glad that Colonel Watterson has avoided
D -. Ill
Coettesdaemmerung for hin and Tor all the gallant
and brilliant spirits Of his generation who fixed
their imprint on the Democratic doctrines Of the
past
The scheme of tariff commission, Ike the
ship purchase scheme. expresses the imme-
mcrial tendency of every administration 20
reach out after more patronage and power.
In this the Wilson Administration does not
vary from the Roosevelt Administration. II
the people do not put their foot upon it we
shall one day see little other than a govern
ncnt by commission.
In the old days tariff commission was q
plan of obstruction and delay. President
Arthur. who was half free trader got Up
a tariff commission. which made a bill that
Congress did not so much as discuss or con-
slider. If President Wilson, who probably
neither knows nor cares more about the tariff
than President Cleveland, succeeds In get
ting UP another tariff commission il viii
yield him a few fat places and prove as worth
less ard costly as last years socialistic affair.
Of which the crank Walsh was high priest.
The truth is that talking about Presidents
there is. for al the difference. a certain
resemblance between Woodrow Wilson and
Theodore Roosevelt. Temperamentaly most
d.ssimilar. one may vet see. looking beneath
the externals, an intellectual likeness; oppor-
turists both. posing as humantarians; dog
matists setting up for doctrinaires; Of stub
born character rather than obdurate conv.c-
tion-in sort. theorizirg experimentalists and
clever politicians. The country would fare
i'll if such men were given their unordleG
bent Hence, supporting the one politically,
still holding the other in personal regard.
"The Courier-Journal" has refused - fall
down and worship either as Aabby convention
orators and yawping rustics DO. MeGnv lie
the Democratic party would be in a "heilov--
/ FIX" II the watch tinkering and shoe patching
of its ST. Louis platform committee were up
rlied 10 its ethics or economics.
Happily, neither party in the carn7airn
before us is 70 be judged very seriously by
It's platform. Each is 70 stand on IS connec-
tions and performance. The wilson Admin
istration can point specifically 20 what i has
achieved. This it is doing. The Hughcr con-
dIdacy dare rot say specifically whas per con-
ira it would have done with the protein
cons behind it, it merely mouths 4ri makes
faces
The domestic questions are thus held more
or less in allegiance. The foreign questions
are paramount. And out OF these the issue
looms like the headlight OF locomotive
shall the people OF America name their own
President or shall the German-Americans.