Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-31
Dcraultcr on Evcry Promise

THE Republican party has been i'll COM
piete control Of the government for more
than year and of Congress for more than
three years Yet il enters the congressional
campaign OF this year with a record OF hay
ing defauted on practically every promise
il made in the preceding two elections. In
respect to all OF these promises. it stands
dsCredted before the American people. In
stead Of bringing relief to the country from
the burdens that grew out or the war. il
has committed itself To a program which.
if carried out. will tremendously increase
these burdens. In the support that its
leaders in Congress are giving to two pend
ing measures. the bonus proposal and the
permanent tariff bill. the country's indebt-
cdnesS would be increased by something
like $4,000 5000 by the enactment of the
one. and the consumers of the country would
be exploited TO the extent of even more bill
lions OF dollars by the other.
Democratic leadership is casting about for
winning issues upon which to predicate its
appeal for votes. On the bonus proposition.
its representatives in Congress have no
cleaner record of devotion TO the public in
terest than lave the Republicans In about
the same proportion. according to their
party strength, both have shown a willing
ness to bid for the soldier vote by authoriZ-
ing an ndefensible raid on the public
terest in the league of nations issue. They
lost out on that so overwhelmingly two
years ago that it would be worse than folly
to reinject it into the coming campaign.
Moreover. the one single achievement that
stands TO the credit Of the Harding admins
tration is that having TO do with foreign
relationships success of the Washington
conference in removing causes that were
provocative of war in the future over con-
tiicting interests in the Pacific.
II the Democratic party wants TO win in
the coming elections. there are two issues
which stand ready at hand for it to para
mount. One is the failure OF the Republi-
can party to redeem any of its pledges 10
shorten the period of REIMBURSEMENT TO peace
time industrial functioning by appropriate
legislation. and the other is the consistent
record OF Democratic opposition 10 the tariff
of abominations which the administration
is now trying to foist upon the country.
On the first of these issues the Democrats
have but to paramount il from every stump
to evoke a responsive echo from the dsap-
pointed, discouraged masses throughout
the country. On the other issue they must
put up the stiffest fight possible TO defeat
it before the Senate, and if they lose let
them 20 before the voters of the country
and show them that for every dollar of
protection" American labor and American
industry get from unfair foreign competi-
ton several times as many dollars will be
extracted from the pockets of American con
sumers TO go into the Golfers of favored in
tcrests which have been given a monopoly
OF the domestic market. II this issue be
presented in such forcible way that the vot-
ers will be made thoroughly TO understand
the true nwardness of this scheme for ex
plotting their pocketbooks, it, combined
with the issue OF broken promises and of
general Republican administrative and legis-
lative inehcency should afford assurance
OF a great Democratic victory