The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-01-18

Aneth~s Instance Of Ana rican All
s0lutisU uader McbNiniey's
Management.

II is announced from Washington
that the Philippine commission has pre-
pared a new tariff law for the islands
| and that il has been submitted TO the
president for approval. This manner
OF dealing with questions OF taxation
in our new possessions Will commend
itself TO the beneficiarics Of the tarih
| in this country. They will regard II as
scien ifc and natural and they will
presently suggest that the same meth
cd be adopted at home.
While we have no particulars con-
| cerning the processes BY which the
commission reached IT'S conclusions
relative to the Philippine tariff. 1t Is
not difficult 10 imagine how the thing
was done. The commission Is composed
Of five Americans. SO small body
should be able to legislate on the tar
in. or anything else. with much expe-
dition. The interests which are TO be
served by the tariff may confne their
energies wholly TO the commission.
There is no party in opposition to over
ride and there are no representatives
of the people who are 10 be taxed TO IN
terpose with protests.
A protective tariff bill framed I'M
der such circumstances ought TO be
measure wholly after the presidents
heart. He has had some experience
in the line of tariff legislation himself.
but. while his achievements resembled
that of the Philippine commission TO
some extent. they Were sadly lacking
in certain features of ahsolutism which
chara cterize the new departure in the
orient.
Mr.. McKinley's tariff bill. like that
Of Mr.. Dingley. was written by the at
torneys of the protected interests
them selves. lie began with blank pa
per. Each protected interest was
asked to write its own section OF the
bill. All complied with alacrity. The
result was measure having some con-
flicting sections which had to be recon
ciled. but which. in the main. was salts
factory 10 every man who expected TO
make money out of il.
Under the whip and spur Of the eau
Gus. republican opposition 10 the meas
ure was silenced. but not so with the
democrats. On the other side of the
house there were men who. although in
minority. were privileged to speak
for the intended victims of the meas
ure. These victims found no advocates
in the party assuming possibility
for the bill. Like the Filipinos. they
were neither heard nor considered.
\ minority only had 10 content itself
with such opportunities for expostula-
fion as the majority permitted and
such explanations of specific injus tees
contained in the measure as car
ruled debate afforded.
From the standpoint Of the protec-
ZIONIST the Philippine plan has many
advantage over even so high-handed
a proceeding as this. II Is all in the
family. II may be star chamber. IL
necessary. II Is not to be interrupted
by protest. 1t is concerned only with
one side Of the question. With not even
a minority OF conscientious republic
ans TO placate or to gag. it is smotth
sailing. With no democratic congress
men. even though in a minority. TO
point out palpable wrongs and injus-
tees. the bill. once framed. is pre- sent
ed for approval not 10 a representative
body having some constitutional rights.
but to president assuming 10 govern
outside of the constitution and under
no restraint save that of his own Will.
Thus written and enacted into law.
with nobody heard at any stage of the
proce edings except the men who are in
on the ground floor. so to speak the
Philippine tariff ought 10 be model
OF outrageous oppression and robbery.
II IL fall short Of this in any respect
II will be because its authors in Manila
and its sponsors in America will have
manifested forbearance hitherto I'M
known and 70 which il has been sup
posed that they were strangers.
This small episode. In American, bso-
lutisu. with which ii II to be feared
that the people are rapidly becoming
familiar. should not escape most seri-
Gus attention in the United States. We
have grown accustomed al home 10 the
principle of inequality underlying just
SuCH lHtdruTte u lrNdtibIs Dut III tVtiI
prepa ration and enactment the forms
OF constitutional government. often a
CHASTITY pretense only, have been OBJ
served. We have seen the representa-
tyes Of a great party sllenced.
vheedled and builied when such meas
ures were unde- consideration. but
there has been semblance Of popular
assent. In the Philippine ease there i
not even an apology for the violation
OF the first principle OF American lib
erty.
Necessity often is pleaded as an ex-
cuse for tyranny. Necessity has been
offered many times in this country in
extenuation OF illegal and unjust meas
urrs OF government. Necessity always
has been the refuge of despots who
were brought to task for their usurpa-
tons But there can be no such de-
tense in this instance Chicago Chron-
'cle.
POINTS AND OPINIONS.