The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-11-21
THE TARIFF REFORMERs.
WITH Their Hands TIED ~ the PsNy
Machts~ Can Accomplish
Nothinw.

A hHJoiity OF Tue voters IN large
number Of congressional districts in
the western states have been buncoed
into believing that the members of
congress they have elected will vote
TO amend the tariff law and control
the trusts. The candidates promised
that II republican majority was
elected the tariff and trust issue
would be settled by those who are the
friends of protection and there would
be no disturbance OF business. some
of these republicans who have been
elected to congress on the faith in
their promises were no doubt sin.
cere and will strive TO carry them
ou' Int that they will accomplish
any ST. results is out OF the question.
Those candidates who have been re-
elected to congress and have had eN-
perience in the workings Of the ruth
less machine, must have known that
any such promises were worthless
and were only given to once more fool
their constituents into reeleeting
them. That this is a fair statement of
facts Is certain when il is considered
that congress is run by majority Of
the dominant party and that indi-
vidual congressman have no oppor-
tunity given them to even have their
ideas considered unless the party
managers think such are desirable
When the next congress meets in
December. 1903, the caucus of the re-
publican members viii decide who is
TO be speaker, he will appoint the com
mittees, and If the ma jority shall de-
eide that the tariff is not to be re-
formed, the speaker will carry out
their wishes. lie will appoint a com
mittee on ways and means, to whom
any tariff bill must be referred, who
will all be reliable protcctionists. and
who believe that nearly all the trusts
are good trusts, and should be aided
rather than hindered in their career
of piling up profits at the expense of
the people. The republican congress
man who believes in tariff reform. to
any extent, will be helpless. He may
introduce bill, like Mr.. Babcock did
in the beginning of the present con
gress, TO reform the iron and steel
schedule. but il will he buried, like
that notable production in the grave
Of tariff reform hopes--the ways and
means committee. IL our new con-
gresham is insistent to have his bill
considered. which. like Mr. Babcock.
he will probably not be. all will be Sc
rene. he will be favored in other mat
ters, so that his constituents may be |
partially satisfied. If he demands |
that his. or some similar bill, be con-
sidered and reported so that he may |
have an opportunity to record his vote,
and thus show his sincerity to his con-
stituents. he will be cut off from par
in all the inside advantages
Of belonging to the majority party,
and be treated much more discourte-
ously than the members Of the demo
cratic minority. Only in the almost |
impossible event of enough republican
members joining with the democrats
TO make majority and then voting to
order the committee on ways and
means to report bill to amend the
tariff law, will il be possible to have
a yea and nay vote recorded on such
II will be interesting to watch the
actions Of those republican congress-
men from Iowa, Minnesota and other
states that have succeed ed in deluding
their farmer constituents into believ-
ing that the tariff will be revised by its
friends.
II the people of any congressional
district want the tariff revised they
must bring pressure to bear on the
they have elected to COM
pei him to carry out their wishes. 1t
will require good deal Of backbone
Tor a republican congressman to
stand up and fight for even trust pro-
iuctions to be placed upon the free
ist.
Barbed wire being the production Of
he steel trust. and selling in Europe
or two-thirds less than the trust sells
I to the Anne rican farmer. would seem
o fix the status Of the steel trust as
! bad trust. II the republicans are sin
ere in their expressed determination
o remove protection from bad trusts.
he steel trust productions would be
good place to begin by looping Off
he 40 per cent. protection the tariff
aw now gives them.