The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-11-03
THE REPUBLICAN RECORD.

PIE 10 eHuOfSe tHe party TeCOTu anu W
encourage its repetition during the next
four years. Therefore, on the very eve
of the balloting, it is timely to review
that record.
In the first place, there is the Repub-
lican attitude towards the principle laid
down by Mr.. Davis as fundamental,
namely, honesty in government. When
there was exposed the unmistakable evil
dence of official wrongdoing on the part
of high Republican officeholders, did the
Republican leadership and the Republican
administration mercilessly pursue the in
quiry and drive the malefactors from
office? Or was there high Republican
effort to balk the inquiries, to cover up
the truth and to shelter the guilty? The
whole nation knows the answer. The
whole nation knows that the Republican
effort was directed towards evasion and
concealment.
And aside from the question of the
tariff principle, it was the almost unani-
nous opinion of Republican journals that
the Fordney- McCumber tariff was the
worst that was ever passed; that it was
lindefensible and blunder on the part
of the administration. 1t must be an act
of an unusually grave and reprehensible
sort that will bring forth the prompt and
unqualified disapproval and condemna-
ton of political party's own Journalistic
adherents. Such an act in very truth is
the present tariff, which, in the words
of the st. Louis Post-Dispatch "has en-
riched few favored men and interests
at the expense Of all the people, and that
particularly has contributed to the ruin
of the farmers" Those very farmers who
were told by the Republican spokesman
that the tariff was framed in their espe-
cial interest have now discovered that
they are the ones who have been most
heavily hit by its inequalities and levies
for private enjoyment.
Although the Republicans in their cam
paign of 1920 promised definite foreign
policy and our representation in at least
world court, it is undeniably Of record
that not only has such promise not been
kept, but that there has been definite
Republican effort to see that it should
not be kept. Yet the administration seeks
to claim distinction for the recovery of
Europe. Again, as the Post-Dispatch de-
clares: 1.-THE administration insisted
that Dawes and Young, who helped to
frame the so-called Dawes reparations
plan, had no official approval. Yet the
reparations plan is now claimed as the
work of the@government. The rehabilita-
ton of Europe, and particularly of Ger
many, has been put into the Republican
campaign assets" And yet Mr.. Young
is Democrat whom Mr.. Dawes himself
designated as the man who knows most
about the plan and did most towards the
formulation of its provisions.
AS a matter of fact, the administra-
ton has no foreign policy, except back
door policy which meets "unofficially"
those inevitable contacts that this ma
ton must have with other nations. 1t is
far from respectable role which the
Republicans have made us play among
the nations. 1t would be humiliating
role, were it not for our strategic finan-
cial position.
Although boasting numerical ma
jority in congress, the Republican party
has demonstrated an unparalleled lmpo-
tence. 1t has neither been unit itself,
nor has it at any time cohered to support
the policies of the executive. Whatever
of major legislation has been accom-
plished since the passage of the tariff
has been done by Democrats, and lrregu-
lars. Even the tariff was but the pay
ment of a political debt to Republican
sponsors and supporters. For every dol
lar big business contributed to the Repub-
lican success, big business has gotten
back MANIFOLD under shelter of the Re-
publican tariff. AS a result of Repub-
llican favoritism, so obvious that 1t could
not be concealed, even large section OF
the party was compelled to split off and
seek separate ways.
There is still fresh in the public mind
the effort of the predatory interests,
through the medium of Mr.. Mellon, Re-
publican secretary of the treasury, to
Tighten the tax burden of those best able
to bear it, and to keep the burden upon
those of moderate means. Had it not
been for Democratic alertness aided by
a certain Republican disaffection in con-
gress, the Mellon plan would have been
railroaded through and endorsed by the
president as another monument to Repub-
lican tenderness for privileged interests.
But the indictment contains sins OF
omission as we'll as sins of commission.
Outstanding evidence of Republican dis
regard of the public welfare is the Re-
publican failure to develop and adopt a
policv for utilizing the Muscle Shoals