Middletown transcript., 1903-04-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, April 9th, 1903.

WASHINGTON, April 9th, 1908.
THAT the President and his nearest ad.
visers are unit in their opinion OH
the great political question of the day,
the trusts and the tariff, has been demon.
strated to very remarkable degree
within the past week. Secretary Shaw,
speaking in Peoria, Illinois, Secretary
Root, speaking before the Home Market
Club of Boston and the President him
self, speaking in Milwaukee, have all
struck the same keynote. That there
must be no tariff tinkering," that the
tariff must be revised by the Republican
party after the election, at time when
political excitement is dormant and
there is ample time to do the work care.
fully and thoroughly that the cry Of
tariff reduction to meet trusts evils is
merely Democratic ruse to secure free
trade under the guise of preventing mon
opoly; these are the important principles
on which the next national campaign is
to be fought. The careful, conservative
and patriotic tone of the President is the
occasion of the greatest qualification to
his friends in Washington who believe
that no cabal or political trick could pre-
vent his receiving the nomination and
being elected next year.
~
The argument against tariff revision
made by Secretary Shaw is forceful one.
He says that "The employer of labor
may be so short-sighted as to believe
that period Of low wages would be to
his advantage because he would be thus
able to place his product on the market
at less cost. Or he may be so far-sighted
as to know that high wages will increase
the consumptive capacity of whose needs
he supplies and will therefore improve
his market" He further says that the
Democratic party has always appealed to
the consumer with the cry of cheap mar
kets, which would mean low wages, the
Republican party has stood for high
wages and high prices. The Republican
policy has invariably resulted in pro-
longed periods of prosperity, the Demo
cratic policy in extended periods of de-
preston. Mr.. Shaw says that his speech
in the west was received with manifest
approval and he has no fear of the result
of the next election.
M
The Postoffice Department investigation
announced in these letters week ago, is
still progressing and it is now evident
that great saving in the expel s,s of the
Department will be effcted as a result.
1t is not unlikely that it will be necessary
to make material changes in the personnel
OF the Department and the President and
the Postmaster General will not hesitate
to demand such designations as they be-
lieve will promote the welfare of the SER
vice. Since the investigation began,
Perry S. Heath, ex-Assistant Postmaster
General has been in Washington to pro-
test against the investigation and urge
the President to spare Mr.. Heath's pro-
teges, and James S. Clarkson, Secretary
of the Republican national committee
came to Washington to protest against
the injury of any employees who had
strong political influence, but the Presi-
dent has refused to listen to any protest
and will "hew to the line" regardless of
political consequences. Since the inves-
tigation began, hundreds of letters have
been received from local postmasters fur
nishing evidence of reckless extrava-
gance and, in numerous instances, of ex-
tortion.