The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-31

as ever. and hoping as confidently as ever
for the time when the people could again
be led away by false lights. these promo
ters OF tariff benefits sullenly surrendered
control OF governmental policies and laid
in wait for their opportunity.
Sooner than they had the least reason
TO expect, the friends Of the tariff. or In
other words those who sought to grow
rich with government help at the expense
OF the people. with their aiders and abet-
tors. had turned over to them the work
OF again adjusting tariff rates. How did
they approach the task?
Their work was undertaken as they
would have entered upon a privilege-to
make the most OF IL. have heard II said
upon excellent authority that expectant
beneficiaries under the existing tariff laws
made by It's friends actually al
lowed to construct tho schedule by which
they expected to profit.
How long has Il been thought decent
or even safe to cheat the consumers OF
coal by putting II on the free list. but dis
honestly providing for its custom taxation
In another cunningly constructed provision
OF tho law7 How recently have the
friends Of the tariff had the boldness to
perpetrate such trick and take the
chances OF facing the people, when in the
painful stress Of n threatened coal famine
IL should be exposed?
COMBINES INCREASING.
when this message was written sup
pose the trusts and combinations men
toned as quite prevalent so far as they
were at all important. might have been
counted off by the fingers OF the two
hands. When the friends OF the tariff
last took up the work Of It's reconstruc-
tior. these trusts and combinations had
increased by the hundreds.
ssrrha nf thQir AnaratfnO
could not fail to be understood. II was
as plain then as now that n high pro-
tective tariff defends them against for
eign competition. and that by agreed
association and confederacy In produc-
tion and price, they defend themselves
against competition at home. II was
perfectly apparent that under the broad
wings OF high protection, and fattened
by unearned accumulation. they could
complacently close their ears 10 tne
| troublesome cry for easier living from
! the every day consumer.
"The present tariff conditions have as
! surned a complexion which not only re-
/ quires check In its aggressiveness. but
actual amendment. and Is AT last ad-
mtted among those responsible for these
| conditions.
Such a concession was made when a
| dozen or more reciprocity treaties were
submitted to the senate: but the sincerity
OF the concession ana the honest inten-
| tion 10 surrender the least advantage as
| long as Il can be held. is emphatically dis
| proved by the fact that session after ses-
| sion of the senate has passed without
| taking the least action on these treaties.
II need hardly refer TO the prevalence
| just at this time among the supporters
| of high protection OF declarations and
| professions In favor OF tariff readjust-
ment. We hear Il on every side. What
| does az mean? IL means that they see
! the handwriting on the wall as they
| have never seen8it before
How can we believe this when we sec
stu paraded up and down before our
sight. the hoary headed, bloated sno
malodorous old fraud and pretense tnat
1 the tariff should he revised by its frends
| What have those friends OF the tarin done
that they should again be trusted?
They have quieted the peoples fears
and professed solicitude for their welfare
and promised 10 lead them 20 some pleas.
ant places: and now that shoals and
rocks have been struck, they seek by an
other promise 90 mend the whole afrair
and TO retain the confidence and trust
| OF those they have eluded'