Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-23
TRAPS FOR FLIES

! NUR friends the enemy are not pleased
" with the way Mr.. Hughes is conduct
ing his August campaign. This indi-
Gates. that he is successful 1t is the
enemies he makes that will elect him.
The country is likely to discover before
the campaign is many weeks older that
Mr.. Hughes knows what he is about. The
Democratic organs which have been ask
ing what has become Of the Hughes Of
1908 are likely to find out that he is on the
Job, IL they have not already begun to
regret that they were so hasty In their
misjudgment of the Republican candidate.
Mr.. Hughes, who had been personally
out Of the public eye for several years
until he was forced from his privacy by
the demand Of the Chicago convention, is
just now getting in close touch with his
countrymen and combating the notion,
assiduously cultivated by his opponents,
that he is an iceberg. He is intensely
human, and the country is discovering
It to its delight.
But more important than this demon
stration of his humanity, he is leading
the country up to the great issue of the
campaign In such way that 1t will be
impossible for any one to charge that he
has forced attention upon subject to
which the people were Indifferent. If this
is not political strategy of the highest
kind there would be less Democratic dis
satisfaction with It.
The issue is industrial preparedness for
the trade crisis which will be precipitated
by the close of the war. 1t is protec-
ton Of American workingmen and manu-
facturers against the ruinous competi-
ton of nations which will wage trade
war as feverishly as they have been wag-
ing war with explosives. Mr.. Hughes
has talked about many things, but in
virtually every speech he has demanded
an American tariff policy. What has been
the result? Newspapers and business
men in all parts of the country are de-
manding that he say less about other
matters and more about the tariff. The
other matters are interesting. but the
general opinion is that they are of
much less Importance than the protection
of American industry and the defeat of
the party which through its leaders is
committed to the policy of putting Ameri.
can business on the defensive, and that
It is waste of time to discuss them.
If this is not what Mr.. Hughes in
tended should happen, then we mistake
the purposes of one of the shrewdest
lawyers which this country has pro-
duced. The tariff issue is forcing itself
to the front by the demand of the nation
after the Democracy had boasted that It
had settled 1t for all time by its repeal
of the Payne-Aldrich law.
The war has acted as wall OF protec-
ton, but that wall will topple over in a
few months, and the flood OF foreign goods
will pour in unless something is done to
prevent It. The Democrats are opposed
to protection by tariff duties. The Re-
publicans insist that no better device was
ever conceived for holding American mar
kets for American producers. and at the
same time for raising revenue. The
great mass of American voters are protec-
tionists. They are calling on Mr.. Hughes
to lead them in the fight for American
economic independence, call that has
been provoked as skillrully as Marc An
thony led the Roman citizens in the play
to rise to avenge the murder of Caesar.
The protective policy has been MUIR
dered by professed patriots. It must be
restored to life by men who have wis
dom as well as patriotism. and foresight
as well as good intentions. The tarin |
is the issue. and Mr.. Hughes is rapidly
assuming the role Of its protagonist.