The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-02-13
REDUCTION AS A REMEDY.
LODptsg % the Tart0 Cessess
Means 81 Relief frso Tssss
Oppresst0n.

there was a remark TO the effect that
he tariff is no remedy for the oppres-
sion Of the trusts. And yet when pub
lie protest against the extortion OF the
coal trust becomes too forsible 10 De
ignored longer, what is the first thing
congress does? Suspencs both the an
.hracite and soft coal duties for one
year-that is the effect Of the rebate
plan.
When, in the early part Of last sum
ner, the beef trust began forcing i's
prices upward. placing fictitious
value on its product and robbing con
sumers right and left for the benent OF
the few, what was the first remeoy
suggested? The removal OF the tarin
on meat And the threat OF such ac-
ton being forced by popular profess
did more than anything else to bring
the packers 10 their senses says the
Utica Observer.
If tariff reduction is not remedy
at least in part-for trust oppression
tariff reduction would not be the
means Of curbing the extortions now
praeticed by so many of these big
combinations, why is ii thatevery sug-
gestion of tariff reduction raises now
/ Of protest from the protected INDUS
tries and sends their representative III
congress into a panic Of fear? Eeguia-
ton, restriction. a curb on high-hanced
extortion are what the trusts parile-
nlariy dread IL removal or reduction
I - rf.f3tl ed
does not have this effect, why are the
trusts so agitated every time such
proceeding is suggested?
Congress started in on the present
session with the evident intention OF
following Senator Hanna's suggestion
to "stand pat" on the tariff question
The declaration that tariff reduction
would bring no relief from oppression
was .'bluff- which the suffering %
the people in the coal famine hai
called" The hollowness Of the who'll
attitude of congress has been exposed
The permanent character OF the bar
gain between the protectionists u
congress and the capitalists who hav
. SO effectively organized for the re
tention Of the present scale Of tariffs
could not have been more perfect
revealed than il has been in the dis
cussion of the coal situation. Through
out the whole controversy there ha
not been heard from the projections
side of the house single expression 2
. genuine sympathy with the victims
tariff oppression or of honestintenuo
: to reconstruct the tariff on MOI
equita BILE basis. The only purpose di
, coverable in the reluctant consent {
the majority to make this slight col
cession TO the millions OF America
consumers was to give them somethir
: to keep them quiet for the time. al
= TO make that something as little
: possible. All Of the protectionist Ia
in open session. in committee and
the lobby was to the effect that the
= trifing remissions of duties would, Il
the present, relieve the tariff sysie
q from attack. and would permit u
? other outrages Of the system to rema
without modification. In fact n
: anxiety to protect the rest Of the sy
= tenn against successful assault appea
= TO have been more potent in hastenil
action upon the coal tariff than desi
= TO do justice 10 the sufferers from Z
!, famine Of fuel.
II was a case 81 losing a little
= save much. But it was enough TO de-
y onstrate the principle that tariff red'
q ion is a means Of relief from trust
:" preston.