The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1903-04-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.
ITEMS or INTEREST FROM THE
Nations Capital. Things Being
Done and Talked About.
Washington, April 9Th, 1903.


Some remarkable instances of
,.ck of harmony in republican ranks
have come to light during the past
week. In an extraordinary speech
Secretary Root has announced that
there must be no 'tariff tlnkering," +"
that the sacred DIngley schedules
nnst not even be touched before
election. nor al a short session, and,
a. the session following the election
will be short, this postpones the
atanff revision by It's friends" of
which Mr.. Root talks so confident
unul the winter of l905-O6. Sec
retary Shaw has taken occasion
10 deprecate all tariff revision, not
even holding out the promises of
reform in the system in 1905. Mr..
Shaw urges that high prices bring
prosperlty and the trusts and all
their attendant evils are TO be pre-
ferred to competition. No Tariff
revision tor the present and pro-
bably none for the future, this seems
to be the sum and sustance of re-
publican doctrine.
There il seriously dlscordant
voice, IN the republican concert
however, a voice which, now that
there is no election at band, dares
to tell the truth. 1t is that of Re
preventative Babcock of Wisconsin
who cries out against the dllatory
tactics Of his party and frankly states
taat the Dlngley tariff law is robb-
ing the American people of millions
Of dollars, is transferring from the
pockets Of the people to those of
the Steel Trust alone, upwards of
$4,000, 900 annually. This is how
Mr. Babcock explains the situation.
He says that protection means the
equalization of the cost oe American
labor On an article, which costs
to produce in this country $1.25
and which, because of cheaper la
Dor, can be produced abroad for 81,
Mr.. Babcock would place tariff of
a5 cents and he unhesitatlngly says
that every cent of tariff above that
amount means the robblng Of the
people The Steel Trust can pro
duce steel cheaper here than 1t can
be produced nywhere else IN the
world, therefore the tariff Of nearly
lis per ton which is now assessed
nactually license to the trust to
rob the American people of that
inonnt on every ton. What the
'spublcans vi do to Mr.. Babcock
when they learn that he has talked
nus to . newspaper correspondent
remains to be seen.
Great expectations have been en-
uti al |
dents speeches in the west and those
members Of this party who looked
ler some encouragement in the ma
Wre 0fa promise of tariff relief
ave he' n disappointed. The Presi-
aent has already demonstrated that
" mas oeen converted to the "stand
M' policy of Mr.. Hanna and other
a'ga ectionlsts. Amazement IS
uptesse ~ Washing ton at trick
y winch Mr. Roosevelt was guilty
Y Milsaukec. lie pretended to
ate advantage of the memory of
aR audience and omitted without
's'e'ence one Of the most important
"senenis made in that speech. In
:" speech Of September 2 1902,
- Roosevelt, then Vice President,
ss'u, The vast individual and cor.
r0'a'e fortunes, the vast combina.
IONS Of capital which have marked
IS development Of our industrial
s's'eu', create now conditions and
-secss'late change from the old
-'''saoe OF state and hation toward
s0peflY These words the Prsi-
"s ueiiberately omitted without
s's'ce 70 or explanation of the
4ss'on. In the OPINION OF demo-
.'s''c statesmen no clearer evidence
'sqa'fed that Mr.. Roosevelt has
'ned The cause of The people
spoussd lha, Of The capital ST
y ias honopolst.
n S Waited in Washington I, il ex-
" y rity that the President
1ply rebukei Secretary Shaw
'ss of the latter's activity in
ag changes in the personnel of