The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-08-01

that Is, we have been given to understand
thae tney rebel. Our protectionist states.
men nave necessarily put out the idea
| that the tariff must be untouched becanae
OF the anxious desires of the American,
manufacturer. But suppose it should turn
OUT that the American manufacturer Il
not such timorous being after all and
mat II ne cal. get cheaper raw material
Ihrongh reduction OF adjustment OF Ger.
tam duties he Is willing to forego his
present protection and compete on ecual
terms with the foreign MANUFACTURED.
t Lnen what becomes OF the plea of the
nigh tariff high priests that they are ten
uerly caring for the American manufac.
turer and protecting American labor?
Inc american Machinist asked the man
ufacturers of Its acquaintance and cli-
sntele what they thought of President
nchlnley's Buffalo speech, whether or
not they now need protection, of the de-.
sra piilty OF free raw materials and tina
enects of the tariff on foreign trade. or
the fifty-eight replies thirty-eight unaual-
lnedly indorse the passage regarding the
necessity of reciprocity treaties taken
from President McKinley's last address at
buHaio. seven indorse them qualifedly
ana some disapprove Of them Thirty
TOUR declare they need no tariff on their
own products. and two say they do need
It. Forty-two would do away with or
modify the present tariff on machine
TOOLS, while three say they would let it
alone Thirty-eight say that it does re-
strict our foreign trade in machinery:
TOUR think 1t does not. Twenty-cour ex-
press the opinion that foreign workmen
produce no more per wage unit than is
produced by American workmen, four
declare that the American workman pro-
duces more per wage unit and one that
the foreign workman produces most.
Iwenty-four think that free raw mate
rials would help foreign trade; seven think
they would not 3
1t looks as If the American manufac-
turer has been grievously misrepresented
and misjudged. The effort OF our high
tarlH statesmen is evidently to maintain
the whole fabric of protection as means
OF working the manufacturers for sup
port, IN order. as they pretend, to prevent
the Democrats from bringing in free trade
and running our industries by wholesale.
what Is TINS but species Of blackmail?
The tariff is being discussed through
out the country as it never has been
discussed before. The Republican lead
ers are becoming alarmed and have
given out that the sacred tariff sched-
ules are to be revised. and revised by
the Republican party. Mr.. Grosvenor
has announced it on the floor Of the
house, adding, "But not now; not
now-later on
1t is pretty safe to say that the Gros-
venor type Of tariff revision would re.
semble reform only as the mist-a
very light mist-resembles the rain.
A representative from the northwest
commented on the new move by the
=Ranuhlicana 10 fo1lnxuc
It's SO very sudden that 1t looks to me
like trick. Here's the point: Grosvenor
and his friends have taken notice that
there is good deal Of talk about tariff
reform. particularly in the northwest and
in New England. They don't dare 20 to
the people without promising to take up
the Dingley schedules with view to
changing them in the interests Of our for
eign trade and in the interests Of con-
sumers who are paying unnecessary taxes.
They have decided to steal the Democratic
thunder. But thunder is one thing and
lightning is another. 1t looks to me as
though our house leaders were trying to
stand off" the country to befool the peo-
pie, "A
In view Of the past the people may
well be skeptical Of the sincerity Of the
Republican leaders. The Republican
party has given us the beautiful Ding
n. 3 r ! 4 ISL
ley law. 1t has authorized the negotia-
ton Of reciprocity treaties and then
has persistently refused to consider
the treaties SO negotiated. It has SHOW
ed the outrageous ship subsidy bill
through the senate. 1t has collected
and still collects its campaign funds
from the monopolists who benefit by
its tariff laws. 1t is beyond belief that
the party with such record can be
trusted to reform the tariff to meet
the just demands Of the people. The
only hope for relief is with regenerat-
ed and purified Democracy. Will some
Moses arise to lead the people out Of
this Egypt of monopolism to the prom
Used land Of freedom2
ROYAL MEEKER.