The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-12-06
Editorial Comment
on Current Subjects
MoNEY.MAp PROSPERITY.
From Fibre and Fabric.

From Fibre and Fabric.
The citizens Of the United States
have delivered the country over to
the enemy Of future progress and pros.
perity. Time will tell how great folly
has been committed. Prosperity born
OF the bloody battlefield of Europe
may be with US now, but there is day
OF reckoning when the war ia over. and
the poorly-paid labor Of Europe gets
busy with the manufacture Of goods
for American markets. 1t is only then
that the citizens Of this country who
are now so strong for Wilson will be.
gin to feel the error Of their decision.
The labor vote. based on the Adam
son bill, and the woman vote, based on
the phrase, He kept US out OF war"
have accomplished their purpose as the
Democrats intended. Now for the out.
come.
The men, the workers in munition
and other plants who have made mon.
ey, voted for Wilson, and they were
urged to do SO by the heads Of their
corporations. These men know bet.
ter than anyone else where the Demo.
cratic foreign policy is placing this
country; but so long as money can be
made for their interests so long will
they continue to support Wilson.
AT no time in the history OF Ameri.
can politics has there been such q d.
vision of interests that formerly advo.
Gated a Protective Tariff. One branch
not so seriously affected by the war
has continued to advocate it, while the
other, money mad, has deliberately
sidestepped Protection to continue to
make money under the Wilson admin.
istration.
This has been an era Of prosperity
for labor never known before in the
history of this country, and 1t has been
that same prosperity, short.lived at
best, that has caused the defeat of the
Republican party. Workers at no
period Of history have been known to
look beyond the present.
The national Republican leaders
failed in their mission when they rele.
gated the Tariff to a back seat. That
was the main issue, is today, and al.
ways will be just so long as there is
disparity between wages paid in for
eign countries and over here. The war
may be a good barrier now, but 1t Is
the future after the war that counts
That has been overlooked because Re.
publican national leaders were either
too sure Of the future or failed to un.
derstand the full significance OF the
trend Of thought.
1t Is the masses of the voters that
elect. We all know that. Now why
the Republican National committee
failed to realize that the masses OF the
workers in their shortSightedness
would support Wilson with u vim is
beyond understanding. Also 1t is not
understandable why the Republican
National committee should have caused
Mr.. Hughes to attack the Adamsor
bill. The bill was passed, and there
was no recalling II for the moment. as
unfair as might have been the weap.
ons that were used to pass it. 1t was
law and no amount of attack would
dislodge it until it was reached in
proper course. The right way TO have
approached the problem would have
been to have shown the voters that
without adequate Tariff Protection the
high wages obtained under the Adam
son bill would never be maintained aft
er the war. That was the proper and
only course. 1t would simply have fol.
lowed up the gain the railroad men fig.
ured they had by another gain Of
greater moment. Protection for what
has just been obtained
Five New England states. New York.
New Jersey and Pennsylvania were
saved to the Republicans because their
textile workers realized the import
ance OF putting in power the party OF
Protection. New Hampshire was
thrown to the Democrats through the
switching over of shoe workers whose
manufacturers are making money out
OF the war. The same reason caused
a decline In Republican strength in
Massachusetts, while in Connccticu,
and Rhode Island workers in the man.
ufaCture of iron, steel and brass, also
voted for Wilson.
The Republican party can thank the
textile manufacturers and workers for