The Tucson citizen., 1902-07-07
ROOSEVELT'S PROMISE.

President Roosevelt in his Fourth OF
J ly address at Pittsburg, predicted
that reciprocity with Cuba would yet
be established. and also limited strongly
at the necessity of general revision OF
the tariff. 1t Is scarcely a secret
that Mr. Roosevelt is personally Ia
riff reformer. and there is not much
doubt that his influence will be ex-
tended to a modification Of some of the
grossest OF the Dingley schedules.
But what can Roosevelt do? He
was unable to get from a acongress con-
trolIed by his own party 20 per cent
reduction for Cuba, although the Pfatt
proviso was placed in the Cuban con
stltut' on with the direct undei standing
that Cuba was to receive tariff favors.
RGcsevelt may promise and plead, AMI
talk of tariff revision. but the protec
ton organs that voice the controlling
sentin eat of the party are opposing
any revision or change, on the ground
that it would destroy prosperity"
The Toledo Times, the special organ OF
Senator Hanna. makes this argument:
Some people believe it would be suffi-
cient to say that revision will be in the
hands of the friends of protection.
That might lessen the unpleasant and
hurtful uncertainties. but 1t would not
stay them. Men OF good memories
ought to be able to recall that the
friends Of protection revised the tariff
IL 1888 as the result Of very much such
clamor as is now heard from certain
quarters. That revision was consld-
cred eminently conservative, and its
authors believed ii to be along protec-
tive lines, and yet 1T did considerable
harm commercially. financially and
POLITICALLY. 1t prostrated several great
industries, affected quite generally the
plane of prosperity. and gave the Re
pubficans very severe defeat or two
at the polls. 1t was This revision that
bore Grover Cleveland to the presi-
dency in 1884.
This expression is quoted with ap-
proval by the American Economist.
which is the leading tariff organ Of the
country. together with much more of
the same sort of stuff. The evident in
tention is to scare Roosevelt The
Hanna organ at Toledo continues;
The warning of 1888 and 1884 has
apparently not been lost on the Repub-
hcan leaders. 1t should not be lost
on the people. There must be no
threatening of the present prosperous
condition. 1t is better to endure for a
time the incidental evils of exceptional
cases of eXtortion. if that is necessary,
than to Involve the country in the dis
aster of a financial and Industrial
panic, A way will he found in time to
adjust the wrongs of the tariff without
damage, and until that way is devised
the Republican party will wisely stand
against tariff tinkering.
If this be true. and this be the wise
policy, to what condition have we
been brought by the protective sys-
TEN, We are told that we must sub
nit to wrongs patiently lest worse
evils befall us. We are helpless in
the hands of our benefciaries, who are
plundering us. II we stop them-if
we stop only few of the worse ones
we are told that we will bring COM
mercial distress and ruin to the
country. We have arrived at a posi-
ton where we dare not even protect
ourselves against injustice and oppres-
sion. DO you believe it? If you do.
it is certainly time for a change.