The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-20
YE DEFENDS TRUSTS
But Shaw Says None Must So
Understand Him.
RELATIONS TO TARIFF
Declares Butchers Have the
Wrong Idea of Reform.

when he was a boy and went to school
here and the residents of all thte section
round about came to hear him. He spoke
in part as follows:
I have been quoted as opposed to a re-
vision of the tariff have never opposed
readjustment of the tariff. Whenever con
gress reaches the conclusion that the
friends of protection are strong enough
Il conservatively modify certain sched-
ules so as TO meet changed conditions
and at the same time successfully resist
the Efforts of the opposition to revise tbs
e1tire tariff law, thus paralyzing business.
fer a season, I am in favor OF it. 1 have
expressed some doubt, however, about the
wisdom of instrtucting by resolutions or
exacting pledges from candidates for con-
gress, when the effect is liable to pre-
cipftate protracted debate with very
uncertain results.
i have never seen the time, since
have given public questions consideration
that l would not reduce the rate on quite
a large number of items. when I would
not increase the rate on other items. 1t
is not likely that any member of either
house of congress ever voted for tariff
bill entirely to his liking, nor is it prob
able that any president ever signed a bill
that he would not have changed in some
particular had it been in his power. 1 am
willing to concede that conditions change
and that the old Morren bin of the COS,
for instance, when the country was in
volved in war, would not be appropriate
for US now but I will not admit that the
tariff is the mother of trusts, nor will
1 concede that tariff for revenue only
will destroy trusts on any theory than
that a fire in wheat field will destroy
Canadian thistles.
The protective tariff is not the mother
of trusts. though it is the parent of con-
d'tions that makes it profitable for CAPT
tai to combine and congenial for labor to
organize.
The Republican party in my state re-
Gently reafirmed the tariff platform Of
1901 This has caused considerable COM
ment. 1t has been misrepresented. Not
quite as persistently, but in the same way
that the memorable speech of President
Mckinley at Buffalo, has been misrepre.
scented, misQuoted, misconstrued and mis-
applied. This platform was unanimously
adopted both years. It declares in favor
of such changes in the tariff from time
to time as becomes advisable through the
progress of our industries and their
changed relations to commerce of the
world. Is there anyone who is not in
favor of such changes in the tariff from
time TO time as are advisable?
4 am willing the jury shall be polled on
that proposition. So say we all. 1t also
declares in favor of any modification OF
tariff schedules that may be required
to prevent their affording shelter to
monopoly. And. again, we say aye, sir
to the proposition. There may be quite
a radical difference Of opinion as to the
trouth of the implied admission that the
protective tariff afford shelter to mon
opoly, but there would be no difference
of opinion about removing it if it did
afford such shelter.
a few days ago the butchers. in con-
vention assembled, declared in favor OF
abolishing the tariff on cattle and meat
to the end that this supposed shelter
for the alleged meat trust might be re-
good farmers of my state would vote
quite unanimously against such an expe-
riment. Suppose we take the tariff off
beef and then suppose the herds of cat
tie from Mexico and South America are
brought i'm by the hundred thousand.
They viii find their way to the stockyards
and the butchers viii be compelled to
hid against the packers then as now. No.
The removal of the tariff on livestock
and meat would not restore the butchers
to business. 1t might ruin the farmers
but the packers could stand it: for moth
ing less than organized capital could en-
ter the import meat business with pack
ing houses in foreign countries, refriger-
ating ships and other expensive equip
ment- 1 happen TO know that at least
one and I understand two of the big pack
ing houses. have had men looking into
ing houses. have had memn looking into
the South American field for more than
two years. The farmer. as It IS his ample
reason TO be apprehensive
Il have took occasion to look this mat
ter up since reading Of these resolutions
and ! think I can ind reason for the pres /
ent price of meat other than the protec-
tive tariff. I find that there were received +
AZ the stoekyards in Chicago. in the one
month of July 1912. sixty-hve thousand
less beeves and 10000 les shogs than in
the same month one year ago. That
means 7.ooo les sanimals per day.
The 9 road alone. during the entire
month brought from the southwest where
the corn crop was a failure. last year. 1.0o0
less fat steers per day this year than
last
Let no one understand this to be A
defense Of The packers or an extenuation
% their ofenses. a suit is now pending
AGAINST them and i the allegations OF the
petitions are sustained taad that seems
-ro5abiel they are going 20 have trouble
and it viii take very much more accu-
rate form than il would 20 say 70 the
farmers ~ the United tates that their in
-ustry shall De opened TO competition
from tie unlimited ranges Of south
America
The secretary appealed for the election
p Republican congress. Then h.
sad. ''let the representatives from all sec
tons Of the ooantry get together. and II
hey can agree on one or a dozen items
O. The present tarjn schedule shat can be