The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-04-21
Governor Roosevelt's Speech
Minneapolis Tribune)

Being of a different political faith,
The Tribune is frank to admit that
possibly it listened to Governor Roo
sevelt with a more judicial ear than
would have been the case had he
been q Republican candidate for the
presidential nomination. Making due
allowances for this probability, we are
none the less constrained to point
out that the governor, charming gen.
tleman that he is. restricted his ut
terances to distractions and generali-
ties. Anyone will admit the difficulty
of escaping congratulations on such
an occasion as brought Governor
Roosevelt to st. Paul. But neither
can we escape the conviction that
the governor should have made him
self clearer on certain specific ques-
tons.
The governor was sufficiently en-
phatic on the power question and in
his promise to prosecute the canali-
zation of the st. Lawrence river. 1t
must be admitted that q degree OF
Importance attaches to both Of these
subjects, but 1t cannot be denied that
in the present state OF the nation
these are minor questions. The gov
ernor found rather eloquent fault
with the Smoot -Hawley tariff bill,
but he gave no very clear indication
as to what he would do to the tariff
if he were elected to the presidency.
It might not be at all unjust to
surmise that the governors hesitancy
in this matter was largely due to his
intellectual honesty. While 1t IS true
that a Republican congress passed,
and a Republican president signed
the Smoot- Hawley bill. it has not
been forgotten that the Democrats
in congress had a great deal to say
in the shaping Of its provisions.
The governor, we think, does not
clearly understand the objections Of
the agricultural northwest to the
Smoot- Hawley law. The agricultural
northwest, If we know anything about
it, is not in favor Of an Underwood
tariff. Northwest agriculture wants
protection for American butter, live
stock, grains, and for its vegetable
and animal fats. Insofar as the
Smoot- Hawley bill has failed to give
this adequate protection to agricul-
ture, while giving excessive protec-
ton to industrial products, 1t is I'm.
just to the northwest. This injus-
tice cannot be remedied by the re.
moval Of what little protection the
American farmer now has from the
foreign imports into the market that
should rightly be his.
! Agriculture Is far from being salts.
fled with the present state of affairs
and is critical, even to the point Of
resentment, Of the Smoot- Hawley bill
That is a handicap that the present
administration will have to carry ir
the next election. At the same time
the agricultural northwest knows 1t.
own mind and it's own interests toe
we'll to be swayed by mere criticism
of the Smoot-Hawley bill. 1t will de-
mand OF the candidate who receives
its votes evidence that he under.
stands the situation and that he hal
definite remedy for 1t. Governor
Roosevelt failed to give this.
Neither will the northwest grow
wildly excited over the power ques.
ton, and while it is earnestly In ia.
vor of the construction Of the st
Lawrence canal, it is we'll aware tina,
this is a matter of years and that
the province of Quebec will have tt
be convinced Of its value before any.
thing definite can be done.
There is no denying the charm o.
Governor Roosevelt's personality. HI
is obviously a high type Of citizen, o.
whom New York and the Democratic
party may justly be proud. But an,
objective criticism Of his speech II
St. Paul Monday night must recog.
nize the fact that he seems to lacl
that fervor and force which will bl
absolutely necessary II . Democrat
Is 70 Be elected to the presidency mex
fall.
The last census taken in the United