Evening journal., 1918-07-13
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 1918.
DEMOCRATIC CONFLICT on TARIFF.

I1ON. JONATHAN BOURNE JR, president OF the Re
II publican Publicity Association Of Washington. has
performed signal public service calling attention TO the
conflict Of high official Democratic opinion with respect
to the tariff. He says:
'The Democratic National Committee and the Demo-
cratic Tarln Commission have assumed directly oppos
ing attitudes relative to the tariff question political
Issue. The Democratic National Committee, in recent
statement, said:
THE tariff question has been eliminated a political
issue by Democratic legislation through the creation Of
Federal Tariff Commission, etc.
'The commission itself has just distributed a psmph-
let containing speech by the chairman. Professor r.
W. Taussg. in which this statement is made:
AZ am sure that state truthfully the attitude Of the
commission. and the attitude Of Congress when IL es-
tabshed the commission, when say that task is
to take tariff questions out OF the hands OF Congress-
to them from the realm Of statesmanship.
But the determination OF public policy in this direction
in every other must rest in the first instance with tho
legislature and ultimately with the people.
in these directly conflicting views. the Democratic
National Committee is manifesty wrong and the Tariff
Commission right. Whether this shall be a free-trsde
country, nearfreetade country. protective tariff
country question for the people to determine That
is the principal unsettled question in the coming
pasn The whole purpose Of the Democratic National
Committee is to divert public attention by misstate-
ment OF the issues
'Hyhether this country shall be committed to win
settled The people OF the several States and districts
will not elect any to either branch Of Congress who
is weak or wobbly uncertain upon that question.
The next Congress will be war-to-victory Congress
whether its majority be controlled by Republicans
by Democrats Discussion Of that question is mere
threshng Of old straw attempted diversion Of public
thought from the real that confront the American
people
'The American people have got this war to win, in
conjunction with the Allies. and they ready to make
all the sacrifices necessary TO that end. But Incl
the winning The war; as an after-problem
have the settlement OF various important economic
questions chief Of which is the re-estsblishment Of
trade and industry a peace basis-a question which
Great Britain recognizes as her own most important
economic problem In permanent American industry
there is other one factor more important than tho
protective tariff for the that have established
and shall attempt to maintain higher standard Of liv-
Ing than prevails In the nations with which we come
most competition Because the producers Of other
lands are willing TO work mora hours for less pay
under conditions of housing. clothing. food and
recreation they normal times able TO undersell
producers in market unless some barrier
shall be erected maintained Thus far no practical
sens least the difference cost Of production here and
abroad
Whether that barrier shall be re-established is the
most important unsettled question now before The
american people And. Mr.. Taussg says Il is up TO
Ne psoDs to decide
That is right II is up to the people to decide The
people OF Delaware must assist making that decision
One Of the best things they can do in that behalf is TO
retire Willard Salisbury United States Senator and
Albert p Polk as Representative in Congress Both
men are hopeessly unsound on the tariff issue